Photo: The CMHS laundry team is PROUD to announce that they have become the FIRST on-premise laundry to earn the Hygienically Clean Healthcare Certification!

(Ventura, California) Community Memorial Health System is the first on-premise laundry to achieve the Hygienically Clean Healthcare certification, an important recognition amid growing global concerns about infection control and an especially important achievement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The laundry department at Community Memorial Hospital and Ojai Valley Community Hospital provides hygienically clean linens, gowns, scrubs and other garments for all physicians, employees, and patients, helping to ensure a clean, safe environment at both hospitals and prevent the spread of illness.

“We are proud to be in compliance with the Hygienically Clean Standard, which has the industry’s best management practices for producing safe linens,” said CMHS Laundry Manager Gustavo Guzman. “Our employees also feel safer and are reassured by the processes we follow and the results-oriented testing of our products.”

CMHS is the first on-premise laundry to meet the high standards of Hygienically Clean since the program began in 2011. The certification process verifies that the processes used in facilities meet appropriate hygienically clean standards and best management practices industrywide. The recognition shows that CMHS is dedicated to cleanliness and consistently takes the right steps to prevent infections and keep patients, physicians, and employees safe.

Hygienically Clean, based in Virginia, sets the standard and measure for hygienically clean textiles in North America. Cleanliness standards are verified by on-site inspections and microbial testing. The independent, third-party inspection must show that employees are properly trained and protected, managers understand regulatory requirements, the laundry is OSHA-compliant, and the laundry operates effectively, according to Hygienically Clean.

Hygienically Clean certification ensures that products laundered meet high disinfection criteria through the entire process, including washing, drying, ironing and packing. A laundry service or facility is not required to use any particular processes or techniques to achieve certification as long as they meet the standards measured by microbial testing.

Community Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system, which is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, the Centers for Family Health, and various outpatient centers serving communities located within Ventura County, California.