How to Source Quality, Clean Linen for Healthcare Facilities

Medical facilities of all sizes and concentrations have one thing in common: the need for quality, clean medical linen. Finding and properly managing high-quality linen is essential to providing optimal patient treatment. This article will discuss how to source, clean, and manage high-quality linen in the healthcare industry.

Why Quality, Clean Linen Matters

Clean linen is essential in the healthcare industry for many reasons. Here are some of the most important:

Patient Comfort

Quality linen helps to ensure patient comfort. Comfortable patients are more cooperative with treatment, experience a better quality of care, and more fondly remember their treatment.

Patient and Employee Health and Safety

Unclean or improperly laundered medical linen can harbor bacteria and other contaminants that can lead to serious infections. This is a major risk in medical facilities, where patients have weakened immune systems. In some cases, dirty linen has been linked to outbreaks of disease.

Facility Efficiency

In order to function efficiently, medical facilities need quality linen. This includes everything from sheets and towels to gowns and surgical drapes. When linen is of poor quality or not properly managed, it can lead to delays in treatment, decreased employee productivity, and a host of other problems.

How To Source High-Quality Healthcare Linen

There are two methods for securing high-quality healthcare linens. Purchase them yourself or rent them using a healthcare linen rental service.

Purchasing

Sticking to name brands that are industry-recognized through a trusted distributor is the most reliable method. A quick internet search will yield dozens of viable candidates. From there, it’s a matter of narrowing by price, quality, and reputation.

Rental Service

Deciding on a rental service requires a few more considerations than purchasing, as it usually involves years-long contracts. Discriminating the good providers from ones that don’t have your patient’s best interest in mind is essential. Here’s what to go by:

Are They Local?

Multinational, country-wide, corporate-style linen providers are not on your side. They answer to a corporate chain of command that is only looking out for shareholder interests. The actual products and services they provide, and customer satisfaction, is as far from their concerns as their offices are from your facility.

Only a local healthcare linen provider will truly care about the quality of materials and service you receive. They’re members of your community. Their families and friends are your patients. They will provide all you need and more.

Recommendations

A good provider will be known in the area. Ask industry peers where they get their linen items from and if they’re pleased with the service they receive. If they like their service, they’ll be more than happy to share that information.

Online Reviews and Presence

Check online for positive reviews and a notable internet presence. You want a provider who has a findable website and maybe even social media accounts. An established online presence in the healthcare linen service industry indicates a healthy business model that can be counted on into the future.

Deciding Which Option is Right for Your Facility: Purchasing or Rental

Deciding whether to purchase quality linens or rent them from a local, established provider will depend on a few factors unique to the facility. Consider the following when mulling the options:

Are Utilities and Laundering Machines in Good, Working Condition?

If a facility is considering doing their own laundering, they’ll need to have quality machines that are up to the task. This includes an industrial-strength washing machine, dryer, and storage facilities. If the facility doesn’t have these things or they’re in disrepair, it’s probably best to consider renting.

What is the Linen Budget?

Purchasing quality items outright can be expensive. A facility that’s on a tight budget may want to consider renting quality linens instead of purchasing them. This will free up money for other necessary medical supplies and equipment.

What is the Facility’s Storage Situation?

Linen storage can be tricky. If a facility doesn’t have quality storage facilities, it may be better to use a rental service. This is especially true if the facility is located in an area with high humidity or extreme temperatures, as this can damage stored linen items.

Is There Enough Space in the Facility?

The size of the facility will play a role in deciding whether to purchase quality linens or rent them. A small facility may not need as many linen items as a larger one, so it may make sense to purchase quality items outright. A larger facility, on the other hand, may benefit from using a rental service, as this will allow them to launder large quantities of linens at once.

The Best Way to Source and Manage Quality, Clean Linen for Medical Facilities

Unless the facility is equipped with reliable machinery and a staff trained to use them how to prevent cross-contamination, healthcare linen rental is an ideal solution. Whether a small practice or a large hospital, healthcare linen through an experienced, local service will provide. If your facility is located in Washington’s Pudget Sound area, then Northwest Health Care Linen is ready.

The Best Healthcare Linen Rental Service in Washington State: Northwest Health Care Linen

Northwest Health Care Linen is a quality, local provider with over 25 years of experience in the medical linen industry. We proudly serve healthcare facilities throughout Washington State, from Seattle to Spokane.

Our quality control standards are among the highest in the industry and our prices are competitive. Our team is committed to providing quality items and excellent service to every facility under our care.