Healthcare Linen Management

Where did all the linen go?

Advancing excellence through education, certification, research and best practices

You’re world… with linen in it!

Advancing excellence through education, certification, research and best practices

The symptoms of linen lossShortage of patient gownsUnacceptable linen from the

laundry

Late linen deliveries from the laundry

Just-in-time / rush deliveriesLinen worn out too soon

Advancing excellence through education, certification, research and best practices

Identify the root cause of the problemResources available to textile care

managers• Linen Inventory• Linen Usage Study• Linen Systems Review

Advancing excellence through education, certification, research and best practices

Solution #1 – Source of Shrinkage

Source Percent Loss EstimateHoarding by employees 23%

Thrown in trash 15%

Theft by delivery vendors 14%

Patient Pilferage 12%

Misuse/Abuse/Unauthorized Use 10%

Employee Theft 8%

Organized Theft 5%

Advancing excellence through education, certification, research and best practices

Solution #2 – Track losses by item

• Identify costs – does effort justify expense of time

• Is this a product administration will support

• Opportunity for partnerships to solutions

• Agree upon policies and budgets that work

Advancing excellence through education, certification, research and best practices

Solution #3 – Ragout / Discard

• Communicating unusable linen

• Credit provided by laundry processor

• Reclaim opportunities

Advancing excellence through education, certification, research and best practices

Solution #4 – Hospital issued scrubs

• Identify authorized users

• Use outside of campus

• Administration must enforce policies

• Use of RFID for tracking

Advancing excellence through education, certification, research and best practices

Solution #5 – Trash Audit

• Heavily soiled linen

• Compliance with OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens

• Results in increased & unplanned linen purchase

• Linen leaves the system prematurely

Advancing excellence through education, certification, research and best practices

Solution #6 – Confirm weights daily

• Heavily soiled linen

• Compliance with OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens

• Results in increased & unplanned linen purchase

• Linen leaves the system prematurely

Advancing excellence through education, certification, research and best practices

Solution #7 – Linen software programs

• Heavily soiled linen

• Compliance with OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens

• Results in increased & unplanned linen purchase

• Linen leaves the system prematurely

Advancing excellence through education, certification, research and best practices

Solution #8 – Engage decision makers

• Finance

• Materials Managers

• Laundry Managers

• Distribution Personnel

• Environmental Services Professionals

ALMnet.org

Utilize training by linen experts and resources available to ALM members.

Website www.ALMnet.orgOffice 800-669-0863