On May 1, TRSA launched a groundbreaking three-part webinar series, bringing together healthcare and linen, uniform and facility services leaders to tackle a critical topic: infection prevention and hygienically clean reusable textiles.
More than 350 people registered – over a third from healthcare organizations – making it one of the association’s most popular virtual events ever – a clear sign of the interest in hygienically clean practices across both the laundry industry and the healthcare sector.
The first session in the series, titled “Mastering Laundry Inspections: A Best Practices Checklist for Infection Preventionists,” offered practical guidance for conducting site visits at commercial laundry facilities. Attendees learned how professional laundries operate, and reviewed essential elements to evaluate during a site visit. The session also touched on TRSA’s Hygienically Clean Healthcare Certification, which verifies strict adherence to rigorous quality and testing requirements. As a takeaway, attendees were invited to download TRSA’s Laundry Tour Inspection Checklist for Infection Preventionists.
Speakers included Greg Cox, auditor, Hygienically Clean Certifications; Liz Remillong, vice president, strategic accounts, CORE Linen Services and co-chair of the TRSA Healthcare Committee; Dan Sanchez, president, Sanchez Advisory Group; and Steve Tinker, senior vice president of research & development and marketing, Gurtler Industries.
Remillong emphasized the value of engaging in site visits and asking questions to better understand how facilities uphold best practices. She noted that while facilities may vary in size, layout and automation, each has the ability to meet high standards. “We realize that all plants are not created equal,” she said, “but all are capable of producing hygienically clean linen if they follow the protocol and guidelines.”
Sanchez reinforced the important role infection preventionists play in maintaining hygienically clean standards alongside commercial laundries. “Infection preventionists are not just observers; they are champions of safe textile handling,” Cox said. “Your partnerships with laundry providers help ensure that patients receive hygienically clean textiles every time.”
A recording of the event will be available on the TRSA website.
Designed for Impact
The TRSA Healthcare Committee created the three-part webinar series to help infection preventionists, healthcare professionals and industry stakeholders better understand best practices for safe textile processing and handling.
Mike Lang, co-chair of the committee, explained the motivation in a recent article in Healthcare Purchasing News: “Many healthcare workers wonder if reusable linens are safe and clean. We want to explain how linens are processed – from collection at the facility through commercial laundering and back again,” said Lang, process analyst, Unitex Healthcare Laundry Services. “We outline the compliance checks, certifications like TRSA’s Hygienically Clean program and all the steps taken to ensure quality. By sharing this knowledge, we help build trust so infection preventionists can focus on patient care.”
Joseph Ricci, TRSA president and CEO, shares Lang’s excitement. “These webinars show what our industry does best: deliver smart, safe solutions that healthcare can count on. Our members are leading the way with hygienically clean processes that protect patients, improve infection control and raise the bar for safety standards. We’re proud to help drive this important conversation forward.”
Upcoming sessions in the three-part series, which is sponsored by Ecolab, include:
- June 3 – The Risks of Home Laundering Facility-Provided Scrubs
- July 10 – Linen Handling Best Practices for Infection Control
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