Controlling linen losses through implementation of centralized linen management system

• Main Author: Austria, Mark Anthony H.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2017
• Subjects: Hospitals > Administration; Hospitals > Central service departments; Hospitals > Materials management
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/5772
• Institution: De La Salle University

This action research addressed St. Lukes Medical Centers issue with linen losses. Based on Internal Audit records, SLMC Quezon City suffered an estimated loss of 1 million per year from aggregated loss of linens causing a significant impact on the overall revenues of the hospital. Losses were primarily due to lack of monitoring system during movement of linen across the hospital. Though there were already existing procedures pertaining to handling and issuance of linens among all stakeholder of linen, establishment of a hospital-wide monitoring system and control measures was undertaken in order to prevent further losses. This action research gives an alternative viable solution to this problem in the form of Centralized Linen Management (CLM) system. As Department Manager I collaborated with the Vice President (VP) of Support and Services and the Linen and Laundry team to develop and implement CLM system within all the involved units especially the Nursing and Housekeeping Departments. Prior to implementation, all these 23 nursing units had already different practices and guidelines wherein they are performing their own linen transactions and inventories without any higher supervision. CLM system would thus provide this needed oversight with the different involved units becoming accountable to the Linen and Laundry Department using a unified work process flow. This would enable efficient and regular monitoring and control of the linens circulating within the entire hospital system on a daily basis and thus control and decrease the linen losses previously incurred. In developing this system and prior to its implementation, the following challenges and sub-issues were noted: people compliance on the new system, incomplete logistical requirements and effective process flow. These were all successfully dealt with by the collaborators and stakeholders as we all geared toward the success of CLM system to address the problem with linen losses. CLM was successfully implemented with the collaboration of all stakeholders including the implementers, collaborators, approvers and end-users of the linen throughout the whole process, from the time the issue was constructed, to when actions were planned, implemented and evaluated. Everybody consistently and continuously exerted their efforts and support, not just because we were tasked to do a job, but because we understood and cared about each other and SLMCs interests. Our collaborative exerted effort to address these challenges (people compliance, logistical requirements and unified process flow) was worth undertaking to establish accountability and effective monitoring system. Therefore, the success of CLM system was able to achieve financial viability as we able to address the issue on linen losses. Also, we were able to install people empowerment, leadership, decision making and good relationship among each collaborator.