It pays to share services

It may not be a new concept but more and more hospitals today are realizing that shared services is one of the most efficient and cost effective ways to operate. For some, it is the only way. Although it can be applied to pharmacy, food service, certain medical procedures and diagnostic services, the department which probably derives the greatest benefits from a shared or central service is the laundry. Two recently completed western facilities, Hospital Laundry Services of Regina and Calgary Hospitals Regional Laundry, mark a new era in laundry service. Using state of the art technology, modern energy conservation systems and equipment, efficient operating measures and sophisticated building design, plants such as these are quickly replacing outdated hospital facilities and equipment. And despite some dissatisfaction among hospital employees and occasionally patients, the cost savings alone prove that the future of shared laundry services is imminent.