Business View Magazine | March 2020

117 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE MARCH 2020 For example, the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), a leader in advocating for excellence in perioperative practice and healthcare, has implemented a strategic initiative around the sustainability of operating room (OR) products and practices. Its goal is to improve OR outcomes with environmentally- sustainable products and processes. Likewise, similar initiatives have resulted in recent technical advances resulting in the delivery of reusable healthcare textiles (HCTs) that are now both higher quality and more sustainable than their disposable alternatives. The Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) is aligned with these efforts; moreover, it is leading the way. For context, reusable healthcare textiles are a highly desirable option for quality patient care, quite simply, because they offer the industry environmentally-sustainable processes and products. Cradle-to-grave life-cycle assessments (LCAs) consistently highlight these benefits over single-use products. The major caveat here is that it requires the availability of a viable textile service provider. This is where HLAC’s value is highest. The HLAC Standards document, “Accreditation Standards for Processing Reusable Textiles for Use in Healthcare Facilities,” gives clear guidance on what is expected when handling reusable textiles and the HLAC accreditation inspection process assesses the laundries’ compliance in line with these standards. Having an HLAC- accredited laundry opens up the sustainable option that reusable healthcare textiles offer healthcare facilities. But, to consistently produce hygienically clean HCTs, laundries must regularly monitor conditions at key steps in their process. Are surfaces that contact clean HCTs clean? Is water that rinses washed HCTs clean? Is the air in rooms where clean HCTs are processed free of contamination? Do employees that handle HCTs have clean hands? Are the textiles themselves HEALTHCARE LAUNDRY ACCREDI TAT ION COUNC I L (HLAC)