The ISSA Healthcare Solutions & Innovation Task Force is a cross-disciplinary group that evaluates healthcare innovations designed to enhance the patient experience while promoting clean, safe, and sustainable environments. Chaired by Rich Feczko, President and Founder of Elevate Innovation Group, the task force assesses emerging technologies through a structured review process that goes beyond product demonstrations—examining regulatory compliance, efficacy, validation, task time, run time, air quality impact, and energy savings. In collaboration with the Testing & Validation Task Force, the group is building a standardized assessment process so innovations can be reviewed for practical adoption, efficiency, compliance, and safety—supporting evidence-based practices and helping reduce healthcare-associated infections.

Innovation Scout Team

The Innovation Scout Team commenced supplier and technology reviews approximately 10 months ago. The global scout team includes BSC and self-operation representatives, EVS operational professionals, and EVS and infection prevention consultant leaders. The scout team works on a prescribed calendar schedule that includes:

The scout team works in concert with the “test and validation” team led by Barbara Strain. The team assesses several key elements, including surface compatibility and instructions for use. Regulatory, safety, and governance compliance is included in each review. Equally important has been the ability for a supplier to share data and metrics, including proof of concepts as well as case studies or neutral third-party assessments. The goal is to help healthcare locations make informed decisions and select the best products, innovations, and technologies for their locations or enterprises.

As the industry continues to evolve, the need for elevated validation is critical to ensuring a clean and safe environment for everyone involved. The use of workflow and surface validation solutions is becoming increasingly important. Workflow validation solutions help identify and trend appropriate task times, specific to the variety of patient and ancillary spaces within the facility or enterprise. This not only supports the proper execution of task assignments but also provides room-by-room or area-by-area validation of cleaning methods as well as clean times, supporting the mitigation of harmful pathogens or identifying opportunity trends for process improvement. Similarly, the use of surface measurement solutions allows for an elevated opportunity, beyond what the eyes can see, to support the reduction of potentially harmful surface pathogens such as C. difficile, Candida auris, and others.

Finally, the scout team is committed to supporting the global healthcare community with the most informed guidance related to the plethora of innovation and product types in the industry.

About the Author

Rich Feczko is President and Founder of Elevate Innovation Group LLC and Chair of the ISSA Healthcare Solutions & Innovation Task Force. With more than 37 years of support-service leadership across healthcare, higher education, and business and industry, Rich previously held national and global roles at Compass One Healthcare, co-leading operational excellence strategies in 11 countries. He joined the Healthcare Surfaces Institute and ISSA Healthcare Advisory Council in 2025 and supports oversight of the Innovation Task Force, assessing innovations against science, intelligence, and governance.