Q A & cessfully break down and eliminate SARS-CoV-2 . The hygienically clean standard is robust , comprehensive and applicable for laundering linen and garments that have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 .
Remillong : I am not sure it has become more complex . We know when we use the right products , the right way and all the correct protocols are in place , that we can successfully produce a hygienically clean product regardless of the pathogens – so far . Given the efficacy of existing practices and our clients ’ confidence in them , we haven ’ t seen the need to test clean linen for COVID-19 .
HHM Is the status of ‘ hygienically clean ’ now considered to be the industry standard for healthcare textiles , and do clinical end users understand what this means ?
Gicewicz : According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ), hygienically clean laundry carries negligible risk to healthcare workers and patients , provided that the clean textiles , fabric , and clothing are not inadvertently contaminated before use . My guess is that most infection preventionists in a hospital understand this concept , but other hospital end users may not . There is currently no “ generally accepted ” quantifiable measure of hygienically clean for healthcare textiles . Healthcare textiles are rendered hygienically clean by following , every time , the highest standards of infection prevention and patient safety during the laundry process . These processes must be regularly monitored for compliance to achieve hygienically clean healthcare textiles every time . For example , performing microbiological testing on a few items , out of millions , coming out of a dryer is probably not an ideal way to measure if a laundry facility is consistently producing hygienically clean healthcare textiles . On the other hand , regularly monitoring all the processes used to generate hygienically clean healthcare textiles will provide much better results . That means regularly measuring for contamination on clean surfaces ; measuring air for contamination in clean areas of a plant ; testing water that will rinse clean textiles ; testing bio loads on linens at various stages in the process ; measuring hand hygiene compliance ; and more .
Potack : The dissemination of information around hygienically clean is improving and increasing and many more healthcare professionals are aware of the standard . This will increase into the future ; it is the standard as it should be . It combines all the process monitoring to ensure the implementation of best practices as well as product testing for validation that best practices are actively being utilized every day .
Remillong : It is definitely the standard . Clinicians may understand it . End-users may not and we might do a better job educating them . They expect us to provide clean linen without really knowing the difference between clean and hygienically clean .
Gicewicz : Both pre- and post-pandemic , clinical end user expect that their facility will , every time , receive healthcare textiles that carry negligible risk to healthcare workers and patients . In the healthcare laundry world , there are many dangerous pathogens that reside on soiled healthcare textiles . Our job is to remove these pathogens whether they are SARS-CoV-2 , influenza , hepatitis , norovirus , Candida auris , or many others . As stated previously , accredited healthcare laundry facilities play a critical role in processing healthcare linens and healthcare attire that break the chain of any infection .
Potack : There is and should be a heightened sense of awareness around how healthcare textiles are processed to ensure the HC standard is implemented . Expectations are more in focus now and healthcare laundry providers do an excellent job in communicating with clients to educate them around all the processes in place to break the chain of infection through appropriate textile laundering .
Remillong : Clinicians expect hygienically clean linen now more than ever . It our job to educate them on their role in the “ chain .” Leaving linen uncovered on a dock , taking scrubs / lab coats , etc . home and laundering them there , failure to recycle linen sitting on a shelf … all break the chain .
HHM What are the benefits and drawbacks of reusables vs . disposables , from a healthcare value analysis perspective ?
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HHM What is the clinical end users ’ expectations around healthcare textile processing in the pandemic era , and how are facilities stepping up to ensure customers that they are receiving processed healthcare linens and healthcare attire that break the chain of infection ?
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