Five Simple Steps to Improve Linen Utilization

Linen Utilization Program

Five Simple Steps to Improve Linen Utilization

These steps will guide you through the task of helping your facility increase linen efficiency and save time and money. Improving linen utilization can decrease your waste stream, energy usage and costs.

Our goal is to help you assess, prepare and manage your long-term objectives.

Use these steps to help guide you down the path of improved linen utilization. And we’re here to help you every step of the way.

Nurse on a laptop. abaqis® helps you comply with federal and state requirements.

Take the Readiness Survey

Take the readiness survey provided by Medline to better understand the problems particular to your facility.

Survey your staff – ask what they have observed in employee and patient behavior that contribute to waste
Identify areas of concern based on the results of the survey that require the most attention
Target the biggest opportunities for improvement
Prioritize a course of action that will begin to resolve the challenges at your facility

Contact Medline for help on setting up the survey and collecting results

Measure Linen Waste

Take the readiness survey provided by Medline to better understand the problems particular to your facility.

Complete a “waste sort” to determine the amount of reusable linens thrown in the trash.

Determine sample size and cost per pound
Sort through trash and record findings using a Linen Waste Inventory worksheet
Record data into a Linen Waste Baseline worksheet
Add weights and purchase costs
Identify strategies to address problem areas

Don’t want to get down and dirty? Medline can complete this process for you

Identify Cost of Laundering Clean Linen

Conduct a Clean Linen Audit to measure the amount of money your facility is wasting through laundering clean linen.

Determine timeline and responsibilities – decide on a length of time during which to conduct your audit and then review the procedures for post-discharge cleaning
Determine target area and sample size – choose which area of the facility and how many patient rooms to visit
Conduct walk-through inspection of each room – record findings in the Clean Linen Audit worksheet
Calculate potential savings if clean linen is not laundered
Identify strategies to minimize costs

Don’t want to get down and dirty? Medline can complete this process for you

Determine Impact of Hoarding

Anticipating shortages, nursing can sometimes hoard linens in their unit. This can affect staff. Offering education and in-services can help illustrate the impact of hoarding.

Take a linen inventory to determine your Hoarding Baseline
Compare inventory in circulation to the industry average
Investigate red flags
Calculate pounds per adjusted patient day (apd)

Monitor Progress

Continue to monitor the impact of your linen reduction program regularly and complete these measurements on an ongoing basis.

Create a timeline that works for you based on the strategies being implemented
Monitor progress by repeating the steps above within the timeline you chose (monthly, quarterly, yearly)
Track results with the tools provided in your toolkit