ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Growth in the healthcare market will only increase as baby boomers age, and the Textile Rental Services Association (TRSA) wants to help healthcare laundry operators learn how to capitalize on these burgeoning business opportunities.
The Westin Casuarina Las Vegas Hotel, Casino & Spa will host the Nov. 6-7 2008 Healthcare Seminar, presented by TRSA and the American Reusable Textile Association (ARTA).
David Rabiner, the keynote speaker, will tackle the topic of strengthening relationships among laundry employees. TRSA describes Rabiner as a highly regarded motivational speaker who helps companies pursue growth by improving teamwork and attitudes toward business.
Nineteen educational sessions are scheduled over the two days, featuring topics that cover all aspects of the market: selling, customer services, transportation, plant operations, product development, service, green technology and safety.
Scheduled general sessions will include:
• Glen Phillips, Phillips & Associates, presents the 2008 Comparative Operating Revenues & Expense Profile for the Healthcare Textile Maintenance Industry.
• Dr. Bruce Cords, Ecolab, will explain how the “super bug” MRSA — methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus — survives in healthcare settings and what can be done to stop it.
• Gurtler Industries’ Steve Tinker, Mike Jacobs and Jan Maartens will discuss Maximizing Tunnel Washer Efficiencies.
• Mike Dineen, on behalf of the Textile Care Allied Trades Association, will provide an update on the DataFusion systems-wide data exchange project.
• Carey Scurria, United Hospital Services, will present Responsibilities of the CSR — Effective Tools to Use.
• Rick Kislia, Crescent Laundry, will report on the Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council (HLAC) and its progress in accrediting healthcare laundries.
• Art Kuperman, Weiser LLP, offers the latest information on Healthcare Industry Performance Benchmarks.
There will be a dozen breakout sessions, scheduled concurrently in groups of four, from which attendees will be able to choose. These are to include:
• Getting into the Retail Medical Market, by Paul Jewison, Textile Care Services; Improving Laundry Efficiency through Synthetic Bed Linens, by Jim Robertson, Medline Industries; A Case Study in Effective Linen Inventory Control, by Scott Sloan, Computer Software Architects; and Operating Room Structure and Rules to Live By, with Judy Kaifas, Standard Textile.
• The “True Costs” of Disposables vs. Reusables, by Roger Cocivera, TRSA, and Dr. Michael Overcash, USC-Davis; Advantages to Outsourcing & Importance of Accreditation, by Dr. James Lehman, Genesis Health System; Productivity: Pack Room Operations from an IE’s (Industrial Engineer) Point of View, by Jim Sprout, Standard Textile; and Linen Management Through Participation in a Linen Committee, by Chuck Matthews, Sunshine Linen.
• Renovation of an Operating Healthcare Laundry, by Charles Berge, American Laundry Systems; GPS and Route Optimization: A Perfect Fit, by Michael Deeb, Saucon Technologies; Reusable Incontinence/Barrier Pads vs. Disposables, by a representative from Encompass Group; and Go Green in the Washroom and Safe Handling of Chemicals, by Dean Manolatos, AuroraChem.
Registration for the biennial seminar is $449 for TRSA members; additional company attendees will receive a $50 discount. Non-members may attend for $659.
The Westin Casuarina is offering a special group rate of $184 per night; call 866-837-4215 to reserve a hotel room and mention “TRSA’s 2008 Healthcare Seminar.”
Prior to the seminar, ARTA will host a condensed member meeting on Nov. 5 that will include a workshop, How to Meet the Green Needs of Healthcare Clients, followed by a reception.
For more information about the Healthcare Seminar, or to learn how to register, go online to www.trsa.org/healthcare08 or call TRSA’s Bill Mann at 877-770-9274, ext. 106.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Matt Poe at [email protected].