Company Blog
The Importance of Working with an HLAC Certified Laundry
The Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) accredits healthcare textile laundries. The mission of the HLAC is to help prevent infection and secure patient safety. This non-profit organization inspects laundries that service the healthcare facilities.
Inspections occur within the plant(s) and review the complete textile laundering process. This includes the handling and transporting of clean and soiled textiles. Not only is the accreditation based on the handling of the textiles, it also reviews employee training, customer service and the layout of the facility.
We took some frequently asked questions from the HLAC website to give you some insight on HLAC:
“What does “Accreditation” mean? HLAC accreditation warrants that a laundry organization that processes healthcare linens has successfully passed an inspection of its facility, policies and
procedures, training programs, and its relationships with its healthcare customers. The inspection is based on Accreditation Standards for Processing Reusable Textiles for Use in Healthcare Facilities, 2011 Edition. These Standards have been developed, published, and are based on federal regulations and guidelines, as well as best industry practices.”
“What do the Standards cover? The Accreditation Standards for Processing Reusable Textiles for use in Healthcare Facilities, 2011 Edition, cover the complete textile processing cycle, from handling and transporting soiled healthcare textiles, to in-plant processing and delivery back to the customer. The Standards also cover many basic considerations, such as facility layout, personnel
training, and customer service. Special attention has been directed to OSHA required practices, including Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Standards. A Part III has been added to the Standards, addressing the surgical pack assembly room and its activities. This section is based on the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/Association for Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) reference regarding reusable surgical textiles processing.”
At MEDtegrity, we understand the importance of being accredited through HLAC. So we have created this eBook to help you understand more about what HLAC means and why you should make sure that your textile provider is HLAC certified. Take a few minutes to download the eBook by clicking here.
