ALEXANDRIA, Va., — TRSA facilitated its quarterly Hygienically Clean Users Group with representatives from nearly 50 certified plants to answer questions and ensure compliance with its recently enhanced exchange cart best practices for its Hygienically Clean Healthcare Certification standard. The revised guidance addresses the care and use of exchange carts, a long-time industry practice for the safe delivery and storage of clean linen between commercial laundries and healthcare facilities.
In addition to answering questions about the implementation of the enhanced exchange cart best practices, the Hygienically Clean Users Group also discussed the results of ongoing research into potential new surface testing protocols and used the opportunity to share information regarding other issues impacting the healthcare market.
“TRSA conducts quarterly certification user group teleconferences open to representatives from any certified plants,” said TRSA President & CEO Joseph Ricci, CAE, “These open discussions ensure that our certification programs are developed collaboratively with direct communication and feedback from operators which can be shared with the Hygienically Clean Advisory Council and Healthcare Committee for consideration and action.”
This Council and Committee include representatives from dozens of healthcare laundries and suppliers, as well as representatives from the healthcare community such as professionals in nursing, clinical management, epidemiology and process analysis.
The expanded exchange cart certification language, which was introduced on May 4, 2016, covers requirements for housekeeping and cleaning; transporting and delivering clean, unused linens retrieved from customer locations; inspecting, counting, rotating and restocking linen; and more. TRSA recommends all commercial laundries adopt these practices. Hygienically Clean Healthcare certified laundries will be inspected to ensure these and other practices added to the standard are implemented.
