In healthcare, “laundry” sounds like a behind-the-scenes detail—until it isn’t. Linens, gowns, towels, and patient-use textiles are part of the environment of care, and the decisions behind them show up in the moments that matter: procedures, patient turnover, emergencies, and infection-prevention expectations.

When CITY Laundering Co opened and invested in CITY Healthcare’s capabilities in Pine City, it wasn’t just about expanding a footprint—it was about raising the bar. “Start with the customer’s needs and then work backwards into how we operate,” President Colin Wetlaufer said.

What’s at Cost?

Cheap linens or quality linens with infection prevention?

Here’s the hard question: what’s more important—saving a dime or a dollar per item, or confidence that what’s coming off the truck has been processed with healthcare-grade discipline?

Price matters. Budgets matter. But in healthcare, cutting corners can create hidden costs:

• Inconsistent processing that leads to variability you can’t see

• Gaps in documentation (what happened, when, and how it was verified)

• Shortcuts in handling that can compromise clean goods before they ever reach your shelves

Director of Communication Emily Hauber said it plainly: “We have always held ourselves to a high standard, but what is more important is that we have accreditations that prove how we operate… it is just as important to want to have the right operations, it’s another thing to have a third party validate that belief.”

In other words, good intentions are not the same thing as proven outcomes. Not enough items… or enough inventory for procedures and emergencies?

Another common trade-off in a “lowest-price-wins” relationship is inventory.

What’s more important:

• Running lean until you’re short on procedure-day demand?

• Or having enough par levels—with extra capacity for unexpected admits, surges, and “we need it now” moments?

If a provider is cutting rates aggressively, they often have to cut something to make the math work. Too often, that “something” becomes:

• Inventory depth

• Replacement cycles

• Service recovery

• Responsiveness when things go sideways

And in healthcare, when you’re short, you don’t just “wait until next delivery.” You scramble, borrow, reallocate, postpone, or pay more elsewhere—usually at the worst possible time.

“Trust us” processes vs. third-party verification

If a laundry provider tells you, “We have a great process,” the next question should be: Can you prove it?

Because the difference between a confident claim and a reliable partner is evidence:

• Third-party hygienically clean certification

• Routine testing and auditing

• Documented procedures and traceability

• Corrective actions when results aren’t perfect

Emily’s point hits the heart of the issue: wanting to do the right thing is different than having a third party validate it.

Director of Communication Luis Portillo echoed that same reality from the operational side: “The Hygienically Clean certification means everything to CITY Healthcare… It shows what we have gone through to achieve such an honor and operationally what standard we can bring to our customers.”

The ethics test: what happens after it’s clean?

One of the most telling indicators of a provider’s standards isn’t what they say—it’s what you can see.

A individual once shared with us that they personally saw clean healthcare goods being stored outside with no protection—no wrap, no barrier, no concern for exposure—yet still renewed because their current laundering provider cut rates.

That scenario raises an uncomfortable question: What did that discount actually buy?

Because clean goods don’t stay clean by hope. They stay clean through:

• Protected storage

• Sanitary handling

• Clean transport practices

• Controls that prevent recontamination

If a provider is willing to leave healthcare textiles exposed, what other shortcuts are happening where you can’t see them?

The real question: at what cost?

It’s tempting to ask, “How low can you go?” on price.

But in healthcare, the better question is: What are you giving up to get there?

At what dollar point does it stop mattering that:

• your partner can’t verify hygienically clean standards,

• your inventory is always tight,

• your clean goods handling is questionable,

• your service recovery is inconsistent,

• your team is stuck managing vendor problems instead of focusing on patients?

And maybe the biggest question of all:

If you can shave a dollar here and there—but you can’t confidently stand behind the quality—what does that say to the patient you’re treating?

What to look for in a healthcare laundry partner

If you’re evaluating providers (or re-evaluating your current one), here are a few non-negotiables to consider:

• Third-party verification: Certifications and testing that validate hygienically clean processing—not just internal claims.

• Process transparency: Will they show you how they do it, document it, and correct it when something slips?

• Protected clean goods handling: From finishing to storage to delivery, how do they prevent recontamination?

• Inventory planning: Can they support your procedure volume and your unexpected spikes?

• Accountability and responsiveness: When there’s an issue, do they own it, fix it fast, and prevent it from repeating?

Choose the partner that protects your standards

Healthcare doesn’t get to operate on “probably fine.” Patients don’t experience your vendor’s pricing—they experience your outcomes, your readiness, and your standards.

If you’re going to hold your facility to a higher expectation, it only makes sense to partner with a laundry provider willing to prove they belong at that level—every day, every load, every delivery.

To learn more about CITY Healthcare’s approach to third-party verified hygienically clean processing and service in the region, connect with CITY Healthcare at cleanandsimplehealthcare.com.

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