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April 2015
| Business World
141
In 2016, Shared Hospital Services will celebrate 40 years in the healthcare industry. Formed
by five hospitals, the non-profit cooperative based in the Tidewater region of Virginia has
evolved through the years and maintains its commitment to improving the quality of their
products by altering the experience and standards of laundry service.
Laundry is serious business for Shared Hos-
pital Services President and CEO, Charles
Berge. An industry veteran with 35 years of
experience, Berge understands how impor-
tant it is to keep things fresh.
“The reality of today’s healthcare industry,
and not just the healthcare laundry industry,
is an increasing focus on customer care and
satisfaction,” Berge said. “The industry as a
whole must move away from the thought
process of ‘here’s a sheet, here’s a towel’ - pur-
chase cheapest product out there.”
“The Affordable Care Act challenges us to
reconsider the care provided and is changing
the effect the Laundry has on that customer’s
satisfaction.”
What was once a customary procedure for
hospitals and care centers to maintain their
own in-house laundry operation has now
shifted. As factors such as maintenance of
equipment, staffing and up-keep of regula-
tory protocols pose obstacles ranging from
time and money to the primary function of
patient care, Shared Hospital Services has
become an innovator whose influence has al-
lowed the healthcare industry the opportu-
nity to place their primary focus on patient