Open items have a way of piling up quietly—until they don’t. A rounding note that never got verified. A work order that’s “waiting on parts” for weeks. A permit that was approved but never truly closed out with documentation. Most facilities teams don’t struggle to identify issues. The hard part is finishing the work in a way that’s clear, provable, and repeatable.

January is the perfect time to reset—not by launching a dozen new initiatives, but by closing the loop on the backlog you already have.

This 30-Day Closeout Challenge is a simple, team-friendly sprint to reduce open items, tighten follow-through, and build a closure process that sticks.

First, Define What “Closed” Actually Means

Before you speed up, make sure you’re driving in the right direction. If “closed” just means someone changed a status, you’ll end up with the same issues resurfacing—only now they’re harder to track.

A closed item should include five things:

• Owner Assigned (one accountable person—not a group)
• Due Date (even if it’s a best estimate)
• Corrective Action Completed
• Evidence Attached (photo, document, inspection note, permit closeout, etc.)
• Verification Step (ideally a second set of eyes)

That last part—verification—is where real confidence comes from. Closure isn’t a label. It’s a verified outcome.

Quick Rule: Closed ≠ completed. Closed means completed plus proof.

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The 30-Day Closeout Challenge Rules

This sprint only works if it stays simple. Here are the rules that keep it realistic:

1. Choose Only 3 Categories to Focus On
   Examples: life safety documentation gaps, above-ceiling permits/closeouts, repeat work orders, vendor follow-ups, rounding findings.
2. Set a Daily or Weekly Closure Target
   Keep it attainable: 5–10 items/day for a large team, or 10–25 items/week for a smaller one.
3. Use One Source of Truth
   One list. One status. One place to attach evidence. If your backlog is scattered across emails, spreadsheets, and hallway conversations, closure becomes guesswork.
4. No Orphan Items
   Every item must have a next step. If it’s waiting, it should be waiting on a specific person with a specific due date.
5. One Weekly 30-Minute Closeout Review
   Same day. Same time. Same agenda: what closed, what’s stuck, what needs escalation.

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Week-By-Week Plan

Week 1 (Days 1–7): Build the List & Triage

This week is about clarity—not speed.

• Pull open items into one backlog view (work orders, rounds, permits, safety issues, vendor tasks)
• Tag by category, location, risk level, and owner
• Identify quick wins (easy to close with evidence) vs. coordination items (need vendors, approvals, multiple departments)
• Pick a Top 20 priority list based on risk and visibility

Deliverable by End of Week 1: a prioritized backlog, clear closure criteria, and a realistic target.

Week 2 (Days 8–14): Close Quick Wins & Clean Up Repeat Offenders

Now you start building momentum.

• Knock out the easy-but-important items first: missing documentation, minor repairs, signage, overdue checks, simple follow-ups
• Require evidence on closure (photos, notes, attached documents)
• Watch for repeat issues and ask: “What’s causing this to reopen?”

Often, repeat problems aren’t “people problems”—they’re process problems: unclear routing, missing checklists, or approvals stuck in email chains.

Deliverable by End of Week 2: visible progress and a stronger definition of “done.”

Week 3 (Days 15–21): Tackle Cross-Team Items Without Stalling

This is where many backlogs get stuck: vendor coordination, Infection Prevention reviews, Security needs, IT dependencies, construction tie-ins, etc.

A few small changes can keep work moving:

• Add automatic handoffs and notifications when an item changes status
• Standardize what’s required for closeout (so vendors know what “complete” looks like)
• Set due-date reminders and a simple escalation path

If needed, run a 15-minute “handoff huddle” twice a week to clear blockers quickly.

Deliverable by End of Week 3: fewer stalled items and fewer “waiting on…” mysteries.

Week 4 (Days 22–30): Verify Closures & Prevent Reopenings

The final week turns your sprint into a sustainable loop.

• Do spot checks to confirm closures are truly verified (not just marked closed)
• Make sure documentation is complete and searchable
• Add 1–2 preventative improvements:
  
  • a better closeout checklist
  • required fields (owner, due date, evidence, verifier)
  • a streamlined template for recurring issue types

This is also where you capture the proof that leadership cares about: a measurable reduction in open items and a process that improves compliance confidence.

Deliverable by End of Week 4: verified closures and a repeatable closeout process.

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Scorecard: Measure Success In A Way That Matters

You don’t need a complicated dashboard—just a few metrics that show the impact.

Pick 3–5:

• Open Items Reduced (start vs. end of month)
• Average Days Open (before vs. after)
• % Closed with Evidence Attached
• % Verified by a Second Reviewer
• # of Repeat Issues Reopened (goal: down)

Even a simple “before and after” view by category can reveal where your system is working—and where it needs tightening.

Common Pitfalls (& Quick Fixes)

• Pitfall: Too many categories → Fix: choose 3 and stick to them
• Pitfall: Items “closed” with no proof → Fix: evidence required
• Pitfall: Unclear ownership → Fix: one accountable owner per item
• Pitfall: Approvals stall in email → Fix: defined routing + reminders + escalation

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Turn The Sprint Into Your New Normal

The best part about a January Closeout Sprint is that it’s repeatable. Many teams keep a small “closeout queue” year-round and run a mini-sprint the first week of each month. That’s how you move from “tracking work” to closing the loop as a habit.

Because the goal isn’t just fewer open items—it’s the confidence that when an issue is identified, it’s routed, resolved, documented, and verified. Every time.

Ready to see how automation can make your 30-Day Closeout Challenge effortless?

Soleran Healthcare’s platform helps you track, verify, and document every closure in one place—no spreadsheets, no chasing updates, no guesswork.

Request a demo: https://www.soleran.com/contact#contact-us

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