Helpful Food Service Resources | Healthcare Challenges

Challenges

We have compiled some industry challenges through food service, design, engineer consultants, health care industry surveys and director questionnaires,

Ongoing challenges (updated monthly) will be placed into one of four categories. When “clicking” on a challenge, you will then see a list of resources that you can choose from for ideas and guidance.

If you have a challenge(s) you would like to see posted, or if you wish contribute information or a resource about a challenge, email us.

Employees

What can I do to improve our employee retention?

Articles from both Employer and Employee viewpoint:

How can I reduce absenteeism in my department?

How can I inspire my employees to make a difference?

How do I effectively communicate with the younger generation?

How do I successfully communicate with a multi-generational audience?

Typewriters to Texting: Recruit, Retain and Communicate Across the Generation Gap
Guide to Managing the Younger Generation
Mixing and Managing four Generations of Employees
The Case for Shifting from Monologue to Megalogue
Manage Multigenerational Communication by Sharon Birkman Fink (.PDF)
Where to start and areas to improve upon
Multi-Generational Management - helpful strategies and generational values

How can I use the internet to find and hire the best employees?

How can I increase productivity?

How practicing mindfulness in the workplace can boost productivity

Equipment

How do I know when delivery equipment needs replacing? How can I justify getting it?

NAFEM Life Cycle Tool – Full (.XLS)
NAFEM Life Cycle Tool – Condensed (.XLS)

What should I look for in a meal delivery system to provide optimum safety and quality for my patients?

Switching to Pods (.PDF)
Pod-tastic! Switching to pods from tray lines to improve patient satisfaction
Healing to aid in the patient experience

How do I know which equipment is sustainable

Financial

Will I be able to maintain a sustainable program and generate a profit?

How Sustainable Is Sustainability in a For-Profit Organization?
How will sustainability be achieved?
Growing your Business - Greener Pastures (.PDF)
When your organizations designs a well-planned, articulate and thorough green strategy, it can clearly differentiate its products and services, cut costs by conserving resources and energy and begin harnessing nonfinancialinformation in a meaningful way to improve operations and financial performance.
Sustainable Business Strategies - Sustainability As A Profit Center
Companies are implementing business sustainability plans that target revenue as well as cost reduction.
Sustainability Definition (.PDF)

How can I generate revenue in today's times?

Operations

How can I generate revenue in today's time?

The Intersection of Retail and Health Care Generate revenue and increase value and hospital brand
Switching to Pods (.PDF)
Pod-tastic! Switching to pods from tray lines to improve patient satisfaction
Apollo Hospital to Adopt Retail Model to Expand Healthcare

How do I compete with non-hospital retail environments for customers?

Patty, Cafeteria Manager

The Retail Healthcare Revolution by Tony Paquin
Retail healthcare sales now exceed $500 billion annually and are poised to reach $1 trillion within just a few years. Tony Paquin gives executives key strategies for leveraging the healthcare consumer movement for the financial advantage of their organization.
Strategic Healthcare Retail by Mindy Thompson-Banko (.PDF)
Retail approach can be a tangible component of patient care

How can I improve patient satisfaction?

Verona Roundtable Discussion (.PDF)
Engaging Staff in Service Improvements
Hospital Gets Prescription for Flavor
Say goodbye to tasteless consomme and the Jell-O cup; hospital food is going upscale
Achieve Patient Satisfaction
The key to patient satisfaction is understanding what the patient wants. One model doesn't work for all facilities
Press Ganey, Partners in Improvement
Improvement Resources
Hospital Foodservice and Patient Experience

Administration has mandated a "GO GREEN" initiative – What can I do?

The Greening of Business
How You Can Join the Hot, Cool Trend
Creating a Sustainable Health System
Highlights of HealthCast 2020, the latest health industry survey from PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute, which looks at the globalization of healthcare and worldwide efforts to create a sustainable health system
50 ways to Green Your Business
Options for cleaning up your business, from the universal to the specific
Sustainability by Michael Egan (.PDF)
Where to start and areas to improve upon
The American Hospital Association just unveiled a new web site designed to educate hospital CEO’s and trustees about sustainability in healthcare: http://www.hospitalsustainability.org

What can sustainability mean to a healthcare food service operation?

Creating a Sustainable Future highlights of HealthCast 2020, the latest health industry survey from PricewaterhouseCoopers' Health Research Institute, which looks at the globalization of healthcare and worldwide efforts to create a sustainable health system.

Resources