How does a hospital laundry service with multiple clients keep track of all items going in and out to make sure they return to the correct facility efficiently? Technology has become increasingly sophisticated over the past two decades. Tracking systems are particularly crucial when it comes to one-of-a-kind items like custom lab coats or uniforms, like a medical laundry service would.

There are two main types of systems: radio frequency identification (RFID) and barcode. RFID is the technology used in microchips that are inserted into pets so they can be identified and returned home if lost. Since RFID is the most modern and efficient, we will focus most of our attention on how it works in clothing tracking.

RFID systems

In an RFID system, a tag or chip is attached to each towel, sheet, garment, or other item. In some cases, they are installed by the manufacturer. In others, items are tagged by the laundry. Tags/chips are available with Low Frequency (LF), High Frequency (HF) or Ultra High Frequency (UHF) radio bands. The tags have a strong but small, thin plastic casing that does not interfere with an item’s use, but can withstand harsh commercial laundering processes that use very hot water and chemicals for up to hundreds of washes.

How RFID tracking works

Antennas attached to the readers are placed where items pass or are stored at key points during their time at the laundry. This includes entryways, laundry bins, clean laundry hampers, and uniform racks. Entire bins of bedding can be scanned at one time. The reader is linked to a software system that collects and manages the data. The system also allows a laundromat to inventory its hotel, restaurant and hospital linens quickly and accurately, with little labor required.

barcode labeling

Bar coding is an older and simpler technology than RFID. It is generally less expensive, but not as efficient for tracking large amounts of inventory. A barcode labeling system, which is essentially what stores use to display price and other information about items we buy, records information about each item, such as when it was issued, how many times it was processed, and when it was shipped. last delivered.

RFID versus barcode

  • Barcode labeling typically requires the labeled item to be within the reader’s line of sight and therefore requires an employee to be there to operate the reader. Most RFID readers remain in a fixed location and items can be read even if you are not directly in front of them. Employees do not operate the readers.
  • Barcodes can read only one item at a time, while RFID systems can read multiple tags simultaneously.
  • RFID tags can be read at much greater distances (up to over a hundred yards) compared to five yards for a barcode.
  • RFID readers can read much faster: several hundred or more tags per second.
  • A barcode is read-only, whereas most RFID tags are read-write, meaning new information can be written on top of existing information. It’s kind of like the difference between readable/recordable and readable CDs.
  • RFID tags can identify each tagged item individually, while most barcodes can only identify the type of item.

Some large laundry companies, like those that handle medical linens for various hospitals, put RFID tags and barcode labels on each of their items. The barcode is there as a backup in case the RFID system can’t read an item. However, RFID tags are almost 100% accurate.

How tracking improves laundry services

Tracking systems improve efficiency and reduce the time and effort involved in processing, shipping, and receiving at a laundry facility. They allow business owners to track every item in their inventory from purchase to disposal. They provide an accurate inventory, so laundry companies are never without linens, tablecloths, or any item they handle. More advanced tracking systems can even generate billing reports when items are shipped to customers.

As Steve Kallenbach, a former American Laundry News expert panel member, points out, “If you don’t have good reconciliation processes, any of these systems will only let you know what’s missing.” However, tracking systems can go a long way in helping medical laundry services and other laundry businesses operate more efficiently.