It takes time and dedicated effort to switch an entire institution to environmental health monitoring (EHM) from a traditional soiled bedding sentinel (SBS) program. Below are the steps we recommend taking for the best success. If you have further questions after exploring these steps and our FAQs above, please reach out to info@na3rsc.org. Our environmental health monitoring initiative members are here to support you in the process of making the switch.

1. Collect reference material from the 3RsC website. 
   • Publications: https://3rc.org/health-monitoring/publications/ 
   • Lists of institutions that have made the switch.
2. Gather information on your facility’s rack and caging system to determine and decide your EHM options.
   • Information available in EHM Overview.
3. Reach out to vendors and diagnostic laboratories, as necessary. 
   • Contact your diagnostic laboratory to confirm their ability to perform testing on EHM submissions. Note that Charles River Laboratories, IDEXX, and VRL can all test EHM submissions.
   • If you plan to use EDT, contact rack manufacturers to price any necessary media holders. 
4. Gather a small internal advocacy group & get initial buy-in.
   • It’s easier to make progress with a team of people.
   • Get any necessary buy-in from Senior Management (e.g., vivarium director). 
   • Conduct and share results from a cost analysis as desired.
   • Evaluate your current sanitation methods and determine if any changes are needed. See our resource for more info. 
   • Provide education to your staff with resources on the website and our editable slide deck.
5. Decide whether a small pilot program is necessary or desired at your institution.
   • Although there is strong literature support for the effectiveness of EHM as compared to SBS, some institutions may still want to conduct temporary hybrid testing either as a small scale pilot or across the facility to determine best practices and proof of concept.
   • We recommend this occur across one testing period (typically a quarter).
   • If the room is positive for specific agents and there is no current data on those in the literature, consider designing and publishing a case study on your results.
   • If the room is clean for all agents on the panel, you could choose to add Astrovirus or the rodent housekeeping gene (ex: ApoR) to the panel as a positive control for your internal study.
   • Once the pilot is complete, present the background, rationale, and pilot program to a larger audience (editable slide deck).
6. Develop materials and a timeline for implementing EHM across your facility and replacing soiled bedding sentinels.
   • Develop SOP and/or study outline and review with staff – SOPs available on 3RsC website. 
   • Train staff on the EHM technique selected.
   • Report any pilot results to all stakeholders.
   • Generate enthusiasm around the technology – departmental websites, newsletters, e-mail communication. 
   • Start small with a few rooms and then gradually expand the program to additional rooms.
     • You may choose to switch an entire sector over at a specific time or conveniently wait until the planned euthanasia of existing live animals before starting EHM across the next year.
   • Communicate with investigators and technical staff. 
   • If unexpected pathogens are discovered, develop a standardized way confirm results prior to taking additional action.