Every patient, whether in a doctor's office, hospital, emergency room, or other healthcare facility, will come into contact with textiles. By ensuring the cleanliness of those textiles, hospitals can help ensure the safety and comfort of their patients.

When laundries were primarily a department within a hospital, the laundry was regulated by the department of public health (or similar state agency) and The Joint Commission. Changes in healthcare delivery systems made laundry the number one outsourced hospital service moving it outside the those agencies. Soon, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) assigned the responsibility for oversight of all contracted services impacting the patient to the hospital governing body. Many hospitals around the world maintain an ALM membership to more easily complete these oversight tasks.

Laundry Assessment Checklist

The Laundry Assessment Checklist is an independent aid for use by hospitals when performing their annual inspection of their contracted laundry provider. The checklist was developed by ALM and is available to the public.

Voluntary Laundry Accreditation/Certification Programs

• Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council
• Hygienically Clean Certification
• Hohenstein Certification program
• NSF Textile Certification
• Department of Public Health
• Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)