Quality Control in Linen and Laundry Service at A Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in India
Abstract
Introduction: The clean bedding and clean clothes installs psychological confidence in the patients and the public and
enhances their faith in the services rendered by the hospital. Being an important Component in the management of the patients,
a study was carried out to find out the current quality status and its conformity with the known standards and identify the areas
of intervention in order to further increase the patient and staff satisfaction regarding the services provided by linen and laundry
department
Methods: Quality control practised in the Linen and Laundry Service was studied by conducting a prospective study on the
concept of Donabedian model of structure, process and outcome. Study was done by pre-designed Proforma along with
observation / Interviews / Questionnaire and study of records. The input studied included physical facilities, manpower,
materials, equipments and environmental factors. The various elements of manpower studied consisted of number of staff
working, their qualification, training, promotion avenues, motivation and job satisfaction. Process was studied by carrying out
observations in linen and laundry service through a predesigned flow chart which was supplemented by interviews with different
category of staff. Patient satisfaction, staff satisfaction and microbial count of laundered linen (quality dimensions) were studied
in the outcome.
Results: The current study found that in spite of certain deficiencies in the equipment, manpower and process, the linen and
laundry service is providing a satisfactory service to its users. However the services can be further improved by removing the
present deficiencies both at structure and process level.
Keywords: Linen and laundry service, Hospital linen, physical facilities, Quality control.
enhances their faith in the services rendered by the hospital. Being an important Component in the management of the patients,
a study was carried out to find out the current quality status and its conformity with the known standards and identify the areas
of intervention in order to further increase the patient and staff satisfaction regarding the services provided by linen and laundry
department
Methods: Quality control practised in the Linen and Laundry Service was studied by conducting a prospective study on the
concept of Donabedian model of structure, process and outcome. Study was done by pre-designed Proforma along with
observation / Interviews / Questionnaire and study of records. The input studied included physical facilities, manpower,
materials, equipments and environmental factors. The various elements of manpower studied consisted of number of staff
working, their qualification, training, promotion avenues, motivation and job satisfaction. Process was studied by carrying out
observations in linen and laundry service through a predesigned flow chart which was supplemented by interviews with different
category of staff. Patient satisfaction, staff satisfaction and microbial count of laundered linen (quality dimensions) were studied
in the outcome.
Results: The current study found that in spite of certain deficiencies in the equipment, manpower and process, the linen and
laundry service is providing a satisfactory service to its users. However the services can be further improved by removing the
present deficiencies both at structure and process level.
Keywords: Linen and laundry service, Hospital linen, physical facilities, Quality control.
Singh, D., Qadri, G., Kotwal, M., Syed, A., & Jan, F. (2009). Quality Control in Linen and Laundry Service at A Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in India. International Journal of Health Sciences, 3(1). Retrieved from https://ijhs.qu.edu.sa/index.php/journal/article/view/30
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
Copyright and license info is not available