It is unsafe to return unused linens on exchange carts from the hospital to the laundry plant, where those textiles are topped off with clean linens and returned to the hospital, according to an article on the FacilityCare website.
While authorities don't address the return of unused linen, the Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) believes that this practice presents opportunities for contamination.
To streamline their linen processes, many hospitals have exchange cart systems.
An exchange cart system minimizes linen handling and makes it easier to monitor linen usage.
Grounding Healthcare Spaces in Hospitality Principles
UC Davis Health Selects Rudolph and Sletten for Central Utility Plant Expansion
Cape Cod Healthcare Opens Upper 2 Floors of Edwin Barbey Patient Care Pavilion
Building Sustainable Healthcare for an Aging Population
Froedtert ThedaCare Announces Opening of ThedaCare Medical Center-Oshkosh