HLAC to Exhibit at AORN Surgical Conference and Expo
The Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) will exhibit (booth 935) at the AORN Surgical Conference & Expo being held March 7-11, 2015 in Denver.
"This is an important conference for HLAC because it gives us an opportunity to showcase the difference our standards can make when part of a multimodal process to provide safer surgical suites," says Gregory Gicewicz, president of HLAC, which inspects and accredits laundries processing healthcare textiles for hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities.
HLAC's standards document, which covers the complete textile processing cycle for use in healthcare facilities, is a recipient of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) AORN Seal of Recognition™. At the conference, HLAC will be featured in a special area designated specifically for the small group of organizations that have achieved this recognition.
The AORN Seal of Recognition confirms that the content of the HLAC document, "Accreditation Standards for Processing Reusable Textiles for Use in Healthcare Facilities 2011 Edition (currently being revised)" has undergone thorough review by AORN and meets the guidelines of the "AORN Perioperative Standards and Recommended Practices."
Recently, an HLAC-accredited laundry, Logan's Healthcare Linen and Uniform Rental of Shelbyville, Ky., was brought in as part of a multimodal initiative at Clark Regional Medical Center (CRMC) in Winchester, Ky., to prevent transmission of OR infections. The initiative aligns the efforts of Logan's; UMF Corporation, a Chicago-based innovator of infection prevention products, service and training; and CRMC's Environmental Services (ES) staff responsible for OR processing.
"Enlightened management at leading hospitals has recognized that their healthcare laundry needs to be part of their infection prevention strategy," Gicewicz says. "Knowing their laundry has been accredited by HLAC -- and that HLAC's standards have been nationally recognized by AORN -- provides a significant level of excellence that other laundries simply cannot demonstrate."
The HLAC Accreditation Standards are established as the minimum acceptable practice for the preparation of hygienically clean, reusable healthcare textiles for patient care, implemented and executed by accredited laundry facilities processing reusable healthcare textiles. The document covers the complete textile processing cycle: from handling and transporting to laundering and finishing to customer service. Special attention has been directed to laundry processes directly related to patient safety and OSHA required practices, including Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Standards.
Source: Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC)
Happy Hand Hygiene Day! Rethinking Glove Use for Safer, Cleaner, and More Ethical Health Care
May 5th 2025Despite their protective role, gloves are often misused in health care settings—undermining hand hygiene, risking patient safety, and worsening environmental impact. Alexandra Peters, PhD, points out that this misuse deserves urgent attention, especially today, World Hand Hygiene Day.
Show, Tell, Teach: Elevating EVS Training Through Cognitive Science and Performance Coaching
April 25th 2025Training EVS workers for hygiene excellence demands more than manuals—it requires active engagement, motor skills coaching, and teach-back techniques to reduce HAIs and improve patient outcomes.
The Rise of Disposable Products in Health Care Cleaning and Linens
April 25th 2025Health care-associated infections are driving a shift toward disposable microfiber cloths, mop pads, and curtains—offering infection prevention, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency in one-time-use solutions.
Vet IP Roundtable 2: Infection Control and Biosecurity Challenges in Veterinary Care
March 31st 2025Veterinary IPs highlight critical gaps in cleaning protocols, training, and biosecurity, stressing the urgent need for standardized, animal-specific infection prevention practices across diverse care settings.
Invisible, Indispensable: The Vital Role of AHRQ in Infection Prevention
March 25th 2025With health care systems under strain and infection preventionists being laid off nationwide, a little-known federal agency stands as a last line of defense against preventable patient harm. Yet the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is now facing devastating cuts—threatening decades of progress in patient safety.
