years is about 0.37 HAI case per day ( 2.6 HAI per week ). The estimated total healthcare HAI for the U . S . and UK over this same period is 5,500 cases per day ( 38,000 cases per week ). Thus , in probability terms , the chance of a patient having an HAI linked to contact with the laundered , reusable textile is about 1 in 14,900 ( 5,500 / 0.37 = 14,900 ). As a reference , a person in the United States and the United Kingdom is more likely , based on the odds , to be struck by a meteor in any given year over a 78.5-year lifespan , which is 1 in 9,000 .”
In addition to their safety record , reusable healthcare textiles are frequently by patients cited as being more comfortable . As the AHA notes , “ Patients much prefer cloth gowns over paper ones , which are often used in clinics . The barrier protection of reusable isolation and surgical gowns and drapes is comparable to that offered by disposables . Reusable textiles are as sanitary and safe to use as disposables . There is no data that shows disposable items are more safe or hygienic than reusable textiles , although that is often the perception .”
TRSA reports that in a national telephone survey , 72 percent of patients said cloth gowns were more comfortable than paper . Other findings indicate that there are opportunities for education pf patients around healthcare textiles .
During TRSA ’ s healthcare conference held mid-November 2021 , experts shared consumer perceptions and preferences around healthcare textiles . In the presentation , “ Reusable Textiles in Healthcare : Consumer & B2B Audience Research Findings ,” Bob Sprague , president and CEO of marketing firm Yes &, along with his colleagues , found that in a recent survey regarding reusable cloth textiles versus disposables , that consumers ’ preferences were split – 48 percent of those surveyed preferred cloth while 52 percent preferred disposables .
Demographic groups preferring reusables include those 55 and older ; men ; and those who are more eco-conscious . Demographic groups preferring disposables included those 18 to 24 ; those more cost-conscious and less eco-conscious ; and women .
To tip the scales toward reusables , it was recommended to position them as “ clean and safe .”
Consumer preference tended to depend on the specific item . For example , the survey found that the preference for disposables leaned toward medical exam bench sheets ( 75 percent ) and face masks ( 70 percent ). The survey found that respondents associate disposables with convenience ( 72 percent ), safety ( 60 percent ), innovation ( 67 percent ) and cleanliness ( 54 percent )
Regarding the preference for cloth , the survey found that the following items were preferred when constructed from reusable materials : towels ( 68 percent ), pillowcases ( 66 percent ) and scrubs ( 61 percent ). The survey found that respondents associate cloth / reusables with durability ( 87 percent ), comfort ( 86 percent ), sustainability ( 77 percent ) and cost-effectiveness ( 58 percent ).
Patient gowns were split at 50 / 50 and represents an opportunity for educating further around this issue . Going forward there is an opportunity to shift the conversation around cleanliness in reusables versus disposables , the marketing experts said .
When presented with the idea that disposables may not be completely sanitary , it became clear that consumers ’
Q & A
contaminated and therefore pose a risk to healthcare workers and patients .
Nancy Jenkins : ARTA ’ s stance is that all healthcare scrubs and uniforms should be professional laundered . Home washing machines are not designed to effectively clean and kill microbes picked up at the hospital . It is hazardous for a healthcare professional to walk out of work with scrubs on : think of all the things touched on the way home from work ? Does one stop by the grocery store on the way home ? Does one pick up their child from daycare and give them a hug ? Soiled scrubs need to go immediately into a soiled linen bag and sent to the laundry for professional cleaning .
Joe Ricci : TRSA and international partner associations commissioned De Montfort University research to examine how coronaviruses behave on three fabrics commonly used in the healthcare industry . The study quantified the length of time viruses similar to the strain that causes COVID-19 can survive on clothing and transmit to other surfaces : 100 percent polyester , 72 hours ; 100 percent cotton , 24 hours . This points to discernible contamination risk from HCTs worn outside the workplace , including risk to families from washing at home . The study also showed virtually all industrial wash processes effectively eliminate any infection risk caused by coronavirus and other pathogens while the home laundering process does not reach the needed temperature to do so . Findings indicate fabrics potentially contaminated with the virus should be managed within a controlled environment where the segregation of soiled linen is well managed . This should eliminate the potential for recontamination of both clean linen , surfaces and equipment .
What is your stance on balancing the appropriate use of disposables versus reusables ?
Gregory Gicewicz : Reusable healthcare textiles offer numerous advantages over disposable alternatives . In most cases , reusables win from a value analysis perspective . Most single-use healthcare textiles are manufactured overseas and have been plagued by quality issues and supply chain disruptions . Consequently , the availability and performance of these disposable items has become a chronic issue in healthcare settings . Reusables offer clear environmental advantages , superior performance , and more predictable availability . Their cost per use is typically far below single-use items and they support local jobs to reprocess in preferably accredited healthcare laundries . Conversely , disposable items are discarded in our landfills after one use and typically do not employ local workers in their reprocessing .
Nancy Jenkins : There is a place for both disposables and reusables in the healthcare arena . However , right now the use of disposables is way too high ( 80 / 20 ). Increasing use of reusable textiles ( isolations gowns , surgical gowns , surgical towels , etc .) can dramatically and immediately decrease waste and labor costs , plus reusables are the environmentally sustainable choice — from raw materials to end-of-life disposition , reusable textiles use less carbon that disposables , hands down . In addition , reusable