So, What Happens If Your Laundry Can’t Handle Text devices? 🙈
Hey there, it’s me, Greg.
First, I want to take a moment to say thank you – the support for the upcoming launch of my book,
Linen Saves Lives: How Linen Compliance Can Prevent Infection, Improve Patient Safety, and Maximize Profits, has been absolutely overwhelming.
It’s a solid 10 chapters packed with everything I’ve learned over the last few decades about the world of healthcare textiles – the fabric that touches our community’s most vulnerable, from newborns to the ill to the elderly. This book has been nearly a year in the making – from writing to editing – and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with you.
If you’d like an early copy of the book, which covers these challenges and so much more, just reply with “Book” and I’ll make sure it gets to you!
Now, onto this week’s newsletter:
Like I promised last time, we’re sticking with all things textdevices for the next few newsletters. These often-overlooked yet essential items are still costing healthcare facilities a fortune – which is why we’re diving into what to do if your laundry, whether in-house or outsourced, isn’t equipped to handle these high-stakes items.
And don’t panic – if your laundry can’t manage these tricky buggers, I’ve got you covered, really.
Let’s Get Real. What Can Your Laundry Handle?
Before we get into what to do if your laundry can’t handle textdevices, it is important to note that some textdevices are actually pretty straightforward to process provided you handle them properly. These include:
Microfiber cleaning devices
Antimicrobial textiles
Hyperbaric textiles
The key is ensuring they’re isolated, washed, and dried with the correct formulas, and returned to your facility intact. Nothing too complicated, right?
What Are Your Options When Your Laundry Falls Short?
Now on the other end of the spectrum, sterile surgical packs require advanced capabilities that most laundries simply don’t have. Processing these items demands specific equipment, registrations, and training.
So when you encounter these items, here are your options:
1. You Can Process In-House
For some hospitals, processing certain textdevices internally can make sense. Why?
Eliminates the risk of lost items.
Allows you to control the schedule and meet urgent needs.
For example, many hospitals process cubicle curtains, lab coats, and scrubs in-house. Others take a hybrid approach, outsourcing the initial wash and dry to the laundry while handling assembly and sterilization internally.
I’ve toured hospital basements and seen top-loading washers being used for textdevices – machines that simply can’t achieve the cleaning required for healthcare settings. My point? If you do decide to process textdevices in-house or partially in-house, your operations must meet the same rigorous industry standards as professional laundries.
2. Outsource to a Specialized Facility
If your primary laundry can’t handle certain textdevices, outsourcing to a specialized provider is a viable option. For instance, a laundry equipped to process sterile surgical packs can work alongside your bulk textile provider to fill the gap.
However, the main risk here is misplaced items, which can lead to costly chargebacks. A lost cubicle curtain that ends up in the bulk laundry or bulk linen mistakenly sent with textdevice processing? Either way, it’s the hospital that foots the bill.
3. Consider Single-Use Items
Lastly, while reusable textiles are generally the greener and more cost-effective option, there are exceptions. In emergencies or for certain high-demand items, single-use textiles can be practical. For example:
Disposable surgical drapes and gowns for facilities without sterile processing capabilities.
Temporary use during pandemics or natural disasters, when speed and scalability are priorities.
The Bottom Line
Your text devices are too important to gamble on. Whether it’s ensuring your laundry provider has the right capabilities, strengthening in-house operations, or using specialized providers, the stakes are the same: patient safety, infection prevention, and operational efficiency.
If you’re unsure whether your laundry is equipped to meet your needs or you want help evaluating your options, sing by replying to this email – I’m here to help. Also, if we’re not yet connected, follow me on LinkedIn here.
🙂
Until next time,
Greg
Compliance Shark