The New Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council

• 
• 

Details

Created on Monday, 03 April 2006 01:35

Written by Staff

EVANSTON, Ill. – The Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) is a non-profit organization recently formed for the purpose of inspecting and accrediting laundries processing healthcare textiles for hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities. The HLAC mission is to publish high standards for processing healthcare textiles, and to provide an inspection and accreditation process that recognizes those laundries meeting or exceeding these standards.

The Council is solely a Board of Directors (volunteers) and a small administrative staff for day to day operations of the Council. The 12-member Board of Directors is an independent group of professionals, representing a broad array of interests. They include commercial laundry operators, association executives, co-op and on-premise laundry operators, and representatives of federal government organizations.

Fee-Based Inspection Process
The fee-based inspection process will be entirely voluntary, but the Council anticipates leading healthcare laundries, both for- profit and non-profit, will seek accreditation. The current fee is $5,000 per plant, with $1,000 due upon registration, and the balance due before the inspection date. Multiple plants owned by the same organization receive a 20% per plant discount. The fee is all-inclusive. It includes pre-inspection materials, the inspection itself (one day), the formal inspection report, and all necessary follow-up after the inspection. The inspector’s fee and travel expenses are included in the HLAC fee.

What Does Accreditation Mean To Your Facility?
When HLAC accredits a laundry that processes healthcare linen, it warrants that the organization 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. These Standards have been developed and are published by the Council, and are based on federal regulations and guidelines, as well as best industry practices. A copy of the Standards is available on HLAC’S Web site, http://www.hlacnet.org.

What Do The Standards Cover?
The Accreditation Standards for Processing Reusable Textiles for use in Healthcare Facilities 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.