In the world of medicine there is perhaps only one thing more important than accuracy and that is sterility. The environment in a hospital or medical facility is flush with many different kinds of contaminants, and thus it is extremely important that every worker in the place uses the proper equipment and follows strict procedures. This ensures the safety of everyone including both workers and patients.
Part of working in a sterile environment is wearing the appropriate garments. In a hospital, you could expose yourself to a lot of harsh chemicals like bleach and alcohol, but more than that you should be concerned about bodily fluids. These are not simply gross in themselves but they can contain various types of viruses, bacteria, and other contaminants. These things can get into your clothing, which can be very bad for you, and is why some companies make disposable lab coats.
While there is certainly something to be said about laundry services in a hospital, some professionals probably agree that there are certain things that you would simply rather not clean, and just replace instead. Disposable lab coats are designed to be used once and then thrown away. This prevents the possibility of spreading any communicable diseases from a patient to another person in the hospital through bodily fluids that could be transferred to the garment. Indeed, it probably makes more sense to simply throw this type of clothing away instead of try to wash it.
There are many kinds of disposable lab coats. Again, they are made to be used once, so they are usually very simple. However, there is variety of reasons why a medical professional might need to wear one so there are several designs available. Some models may have one or two pockets, while others may feature no pockets. Some come with an open collar while others look more like a crew neck gown or jacket. All of these features are designed to offer both comfort and functionality to a doctor or surgeon who may need to carry utensils with them or would prefer to have more mobility and flexibility.
Disposable lab coats are also made of different kinds of fabrics because they could be used in any number of ways. You could find these garments in traditional hospitals but also in dental offices, for example. You may find that they are made of polypropylene or other highly-durable synthetic material.