For Hospitals, Every Day is Laundry Day
Goodwill’s Laundry Services helps healthcare providers manage high volume laundry needs.
Miami, FL (November 20, 2024) Behind the bustling corridors of hospital systems like Jackson Health, there's a lesser known yet vital operation that keeps everything running smoothly: clean linens available 24/7. At Goodwill South Florida’s state-of-the-art laundry facility in Liberty City, linens are laundered daily, ensuring that hospitals can focus on patient care without ever worrying about a shortage of fresh linens.
With such high demand, over 150 employees work seven days a week, 365 days a year, to ensure a steady supply of fresh linens for patients. A dedicated team of seven engineers and mechanics is always on hand to maintain the complex machinery, which calibrates water temperature and wash times down to the pound for maximum efficiency.
“Linens are a significant expense for hospitals. We regularly visit hospitals to remind clinical staff about the dos and don’ts of handling linens,” says Bill Eckler, Director of the Linen Laundry Service at Goodwill South Florida. His team recently visited Jackson South along with the “Blue Bag Man” as part of their educational outreach. “In addition to fun contests and quizzes about which linens go where, we talk about the effective use of linen. Reducing linen usage by just one pound per adjusted patient per day could save $250,000 annually. That’s significant when you consider that even small items, like two towels or one sheet, add up to that extra pound,” Eckler explains.
Goodwill’s "Linen Awareness" initiative helps hospital staff understand the importance of responsible linen use. By ensuring that soiled linens are returned for proper cleaning and discouraging excess linen in patient rooms, the initiative helps reduce waste and costs. Simple actions, such as placing substandard linens in reject bags instead of trash, allow the laundry team to mend or repurpose them, including donating items to local animal shelters.
The scale of Goodwill’s Linen and Laundry operation is impressive. Smaller loads are handled by traditional large commercial washers and dryers like the ones we use at home, but capable of handling up to 200 pounds per load. For larger volumes, massive commercial tunnels wash large quantities of linens more efficiently, using less energy, water, and chemicals. Additionally, an intricate system allows the facility to recycle, repurpose, and manage over 100 pounds of lint daily.
The operation is not just about handling large volumes of linen; it’s also about maintaining a sustainable and efficient system. “We prioritize being good stewards of the environment,” says Eckler, noting that the facility has implemented practices such as recycling heat from the boilers and reusing water, reducing water usage by 40%.
Goodwill South Florida’s laundry facility is more than just a service provider—it’s a model for how large-scale operations can integrate sustainability, efficiency, and community service. The Liberty City facility, which is LEED-certified, underscores Goodwill's commitment to environmental stewardship while providing essential services to the community. By recycling resources and promoting linen awareness, Goodwill and Jackson Health are not only reducing hospital costs but also making a positive environmental impact.
