Case Study

São Sebastião Hospital transforms operations with Polytex Full Cycle Textile Inventory Management

Background

São Sebastião Hospital in Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal, opened in January 1999. Although it’s a public hospital, it is allowed its own management model, which amongst other things, paved the way for streamlining the purchasing process of goods and services according to internal needs. Today, incorporated as part of Centro Hospitalar de Entre o Douro e Vouga, it has a staff of 1421, providing critical and preventative healthcare to local patients.

Top Five Achievements

With the Polytex Full Cycle Textile Management Solution, São Sebastião Hospital ensures clean, well-maintained flat linens and uniforms are available throughout its facilities, while significantly reducing wastage.

  1. Precise inventory management
  2. No stockouts
  3. 500kg less laundry per week
  4. ~15% reduction in costs
  5. Higher level of hygiene

Customer Testimonials

“Better control of textile management translated into 500kg less flat linen and garments processed weekly, which means less water and less electricity. This has a direct impact on sustainability, and reduced our costs by an estimated 15%.”

Dr. Miguel Paiva

CEO, Centro Hospitalar de Entre o Douro e Vouga, Portugal.

Customer Needs

São Sebastião Hospital realized its manual process for managing textiles was outmoded. It had no control over items and no knowledge of inventory levels or location, and it could not accurately assess upcoming needs. In addition to wasting time, the inefficiency burdened the laundry staff with unnecessary laundry and caused the hospital unnecessary costs.

Requirements

São Sebastião Hospital needed an automated textile management system to assure precise inventory management and streamline operations.

  • Gain control over inventory: Accurate inventory management was needed to track items, reduce expenditure, and save time.
  • Monitor real-time usage: The hospital needed clear visibility into current usage, with customized KPIs, to ensure efficient processes and better plan ahead for upcoming needs.
  • Reduce lost items and laundering costs: Management wanted full control over items coming in and out of the premises to prevent lost items and theft, with accurate tracking to stop laundering of clean items.
  • Ensure impeccable hygiene: As a busy hospital, assuring the availability of clean linens and uniforms with peak hygiene and quality control was key.

Solution

A complete Polytex Full Cycle textile and uniform management system was installed at São Sebastião Hospital in 2023. This included Smart Cabinets in different configurations, Cart Reader Cabinets, dispensing and return units, Hand-held Scanners, Tabletop Readers and Anti-theft Doorways – all connected and managed by the Total Care Manager app.

  • End-to-end textile monitoring: Individual items, as well as overall flat linen and workwear consumption, usage trends, and inventory levels can be tracked at all times.
  • Easy usage: Polytex solutions are easy to use, with no learning curve. For local convenience, the interfaces for users and managers are in Portuguese.
  • Sustainable operations: Reduced consumption of electricity, water, and materials reduces costs and minimizes environmental impact.
  • Adaptable system: With all Polytex technology designed for interconnectivity, the solution meets the hospital’s current requirements and can easily grow as its needs evolve.

Results

Polytex’s ecosystem and data gathering software enable constant availability of clean linens and uniforms at São Sebastião Hospital, with impeccable hygiene.

Complete control over inventory
Access to real-time monitoring stats throughout the site ensures relevant staff knows exact inventory numbers and locations, and can better plan for future garment and flat linen needs.
Lower labor and material costs
500kg less laundry per week saves valuable time and resources, resulting in an estimated 15% cost reduction. Control over items worn or carried through hospital entrances and exits further reduces material losses.
24/7 availability of hygienic linens and uniforms
Accurate monitoring prevents stockouts, enabling constant availability of clean, quality-controlled flat linens such as bedsheets, towels, and aprons, as well as staff uniforms.
Improved service to staff and patients
The automated process makes providing and accessing clean textile items easy and efficient for all. It significantly reduces manual labor for laundry workers and saves time and hassle for staff, increasing their satisfaction and freeing them up for better patient care.
Reduced environmental impact
Less laundry means less water and electricity wasted, which has a direct impact on sustainability and helps preserve the environment.

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