Written by David Reeves, president, Association for Healthcare Foodservice | February 19, 2018
As patient satisfaction and population health become increasingly important factors in the success of healthcare operations, the quality of food service plays a vital but underestimated role in hospitals achieving their primary goals.
Baby boomers, a growing portion of the patient population, bring high expectations about the quality of food they eat and it can make a big difference in the hospital they chose for their care.
The introduction of a patient-centered “room service” model--providing appealing, healthy, homemade food with choices of what and when to eat—generally improves the patient’s overall experience at a reduced cost to the organization.
The atmosphere that great foodservice provides—satisfying, comforting and healing—does not happen by accident. Through foodservice, hospital administrators have an opportunity to increase the satisfaction of patients, employees and the community, while helping their bottom line in many ways, including even the likelihood of reducing readmissions through improved nutrition.
Alignment of Vision
The hospitality industry knows how to create a positive customer experience by ensuring every department, from housekeeping to the front desk, is working towards the same goals, while giving each department flexibility to solve problems and protect the bottom line.
A self-operated facility with a skilled foodservice director brings this same vision and responsiveness to the hospital setting, ensuring the foodservice operation is positioned to help meet the rapidly evolving demands on healthcare while remaining aligned with the overall vision and mission.
A strong foodservice director is a results-driven business professional, who strategically anticipates problems and solves them creatively and constructively. The strong director is committed to excellence and to nurturing staff at all levels to ensuring they, too, are aligned with the mission.
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