After decades of lobbying long-term care (LCT) facility operators to close on-premise laundries (OPLs) to save money and free up resources for patient care, the prospect of a $15 minimum wage—coupled with labor shortages—may do more to make laundry outsourcing a realistic option than a truckload of white papers on the topic.

“I definitely believe more LTCs are considering (outsourcing) now more than ever,” says Liz Remillong, vice president of strategic accounts, Crothall Laundry Services, Phoenix. “The opportunity to, not only save money, but provide hygienically clean, safe linen to their patients should be very enticing at this time.”

Of ...