Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council

The Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) is a nonprofit organization that inspects and accredits laundries that process reusable textiles for hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities. HLAC accreditation is increasingly becoming a requirement of informed hospitals for a healthcare laundry to be considered an authorized vendor. This is because HLAC-accredited laundries process healthcare textiles based on the highest standards for patient safety and infection prevention. HLAC accreditation, which is good for three years, means that a laundry meets standards that have been documented, published, and professionally recognized. Standards documents are available for review and download at HLAC’s website, www.hlacnet.org HLAC accreditation affirms that a laundry organization that processes healthcare linens has successfully passed an inspection of the following: its facility, policies and procedures, training programs, and its relationship with its healthcare customers. The inspection process is fee-based, takes one day, and is conducted by HLAC inspectors who are independent contractors. HLAC does not have a membership. Members of its 12-person board of directors serve on a voluntary basis. The board of directors comprises an independent and highly experienced group of professionals, including commercial laundry operators, association executives, co-op and on-premise laundry operators, and representatives of federal government organizations. The principal benefit of HLAC accreditation to healthcare customers is the knowledge and confidence that their textile provider is meeting the highest standards in the industry for processing healthcare textiles, including strict adherence to federal government regulations and guidelines. The customer can expect a consistent and smooth flow of clean textiles; and, ultimately, the knowledge of safety for their employees and the end user – the patient.