Running a successful healthcare facility is a never-ending balance of medical procedures and protocol, TLC, and compliance. In an ideal world, you could focus 100% of your time on giving good, quality medical care with generous amounts of TLC. In this world, however, keeping up with regulations and compliance is a 40-hour job in and of itself. To maintain this balance requires sufficient staff, supplies, and time you may not have. Yet, it is vital to the longevity of your facility and your patients’ best interests that you remain compliant.
Healthcare Laundry Standards
One of the essential objectives and biggest challenges for healthcare facilities is keeping everything clean and sterile in order to prevent the spread of disease and infection. This is particularly important when dealing with the linens your patients use daily. Consider the following regulatory guidelines:
OSHA
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is tasked to ensure the health and safety of working conditions for workers through workplace laws and standards as well as through training, outreach, education and assistance. Their primary concern when it comes to your linens is what to do when your linens become contaminated either by blood or other potentially dangerous substances. These regulations for contaminated linens are updated regularly, so it is important to keep your policies and procedures current. OSHA inspections can be performed at your facility at random.
OSHA requires that you:
- Handle contaminated linens as little as possible
- Bag them on-site (where used)
- Place them in a leak-proof container
- Label or color-code the container appropriately
- Transport contaminated linens safely according to OSHA standards
Maintaining a healthcare facility in compliance with OSHA regulations requires sufficient time, staff, and proper supplies.
The Bottom Line
There is a heightened focus on infection prevention and control concerning the use of linens in the healthcare industry. Regulators are particularly focused on the ongoing handling and use of linens including washing of soiled linens and proper disposal of contaminated linens. Remaining in compliance requires keeping up with changes in regulations, ongoing training of staff on safety and health procedures, and maintaining the required healthcare linen products on hand.
One alternative way to ensure you are always in compliance is by outsourcing your linens to a linen company that provides healthcare linen services. You can save money on staff and supplies, and save yourself the hassle of keeping up with the mountain of regulatory requirements and changes. Wilkins Linen provides linen management services for healthcare facilities in the Houston area. Contact Us to find out how outsourcing your healthcare linens could save you time and keep you in compliance.
