Stained Linen for Sterile O.R. Towels

[Kris]

I need an opinion on what you think? We have a new linen company that is having a problem with us not wanting to used stained towels. When I say stained I am meaning a towel that has been washed but is now permantly stained with betadine. We have never sent a towel to surgery with a stain on the towel. As we do not send towels with holes, tears, cuts and lint. We take great pride in inspecting each and every one of our towels to be sent to surgery as it was going to be used on ourselves. So as of now I am sticking to my guns and not going with what the linen company wants. Am I right?

[Harvey Johnson]

You are 100% correct!
We had to call our linen service to task for the amount of rejects returning to our hospital. They of course tried to ignore the problem, as rejects mean more money for them when the hospital pays again for the reprocessing.
It took a threat to cancel the contract to have them come to the table.
As a past rep for ecolab, I experienced laundries doing all they could to keep chemical costs to a minimum, overloading machines, lowering wash water levels, cutting chemical concentrations and even occasionally shutting off chemical dispensers with the intent to save money.
Work with your housekeeping dept. and keep refusing to accept less than satisfactory results.

[Kris]

Thank-You! For the info. I will direct housekeeping to some of the points that you used as to why the linen is always coming out this way. And will continue to stick to my guns.