Linen loss — the disposal or disappearance of a towel, sheet or other item before it has reached the end of its useful life —  is widespread and expensive, according to an article on the McKnights website.

Nearly 90 percent of all linen used in U.S. hospitals does not reach the end of its useful life. This costs the healthcare industry $840 million a year. 

Preventing linen loss can create huge efficiencies for facilities and staff, the article said. To stem these losses, healthcare providers need to understand the problem.

Sources of linen loss fall into seven categories: trash, red-bag disposal, ambulance, transfer, patients, employees and overstock.

Most loss occurs due to employees throwing soiled linens in a trash or red biohazard bag, the article said. They see the red bag as the quickest, safest route to dealing with soiled linen, even though linens heavily soiled with bodily fluids can still be processed to hygienically clean standards.

Read the article.