This article describes the evolution of public/private sector partnership in patient food service delivery and identifies skills required by executives to manage partnerships effectively, features that may be generalized to other areas; and the importance of labour relations. Site visits conducted across Canada demonstrate that when partners understand each other's objectives, commit to providing strong leadership, and create meaningful labour relations and communications strategies, partnerships can be successful.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
SheilJF. Case Study: Centralized patient food services for nine urban hospitals. March 1999. Unpublished internal document.
2.
WeberDO. Nonprofit hospitals pick business partners' brains to reap savings through supply-side economies. Strategies for Healthcare Excellence1996; 9(3): 1–7.
3.
BlaisB.Changes in Health Care Private-Public Partnerships: A Hospital Perspective. (Presentation to Alcon Canada, National Sales Meeting. Conference. St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, January 17, 1998.)
4.
HesterR.A case history: Forging a reusable alliance. Hospital Material Management Quarterly1995; 16(3): 30–35.
5.
Anonymous.Challenge: How to make food service more productive. Food Management1995; 30(7): 42.
6.
BellIan, Vice President, Health Services Division, Cara Operations, interview with author, April 1999.
7.
PittmanEdward, Vice President, Health Care Support Services, ARAMARK Canada Ltd.; Wyn Gruffydd, Regional Manager, Health Care Support Services, ARAMARK Canada Ltd.; Andrea Seymour, VP Support Services Region 3 Hospitals, Fredericton, New Brunswick; Wally Waller, VP Planning Region 3 Hospitals, Fredericton, New Brunswick, interview with author, May 1999.
8.
BlaisB.Policy framework: Public-private sector partnerships, alliances and joint ventures. Chatham-Kent Health Alliance; December 1997.
9.
SheilJoseph, Chief Executive Officer, Urban Shared Services Corporation, Winnipeg, Manitoba, interview with author, May 1999.
10.
BazzoliGCSteinRAlexanderJAConradDASofaerSShortenSM. Public-private collaboration in health and human service delivery: Evidence from community partnerships. The Milbank Quarterly1997: 75(4): 533–561.
11.
HeinbuchSE. Achieving effective service — contracting results: The process is the key to success. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance1996: 9(3)32–41.
12.
JackMPhillipsR.Public-private partnership organizations in health care: Cooperative strategies and models. Hospital and Health Services Administration1993: 38(3): 387–400.
13.
RookMarilyn, Vice President, Operations and Human Resources, Sunnybrook & Women's College Health Sciences Centre, interview with author, May 1999.
14.
WarrenL.Outsourcing for food services: Two scenarios. Leadership1996 March/Apr(5): 6–14.
15.
MacKinnonAnne Marie, Site Manager, Nutrition and Food Services, Atlantic Health Sciences Centre, Saint John, New Brunswick; Elaine Robichaud, Manager, Alliance Food Systems, Saint John, New Brunswick, interview with author, May 1999.
16.
PynnDavid, Chief Executive Officer, Hospital Shared Services, Ottawa, Ontario; Renso Veroretti, Chief Operating Officer, Hospital Food Services, Ottawa, Ontario; Grant Thompson, Business Manager, Hospital Food Services, Ottawa, Ontario; Mimi Davies, Director, Nutrition and Food Services, Ottawa Civic Hospital, interview with author, August 1998.
17.
DeberR.Public and private places in Canadian health care. Hospital Quarterly1997 winter:28–31.
18.
AdamsonBonnie, President and CEO, Huron Perth Hospitals Partnership, Seaforth, Ontario, interview with author, April 1999.
19.
EgnewRC. Administrative and management issues in public-private collaboration. Behavior Healthcare Tomorrow1995 March/April:25–29.
20.
WeitnerBJAlexanderJA. The challenges of governing public-private community health partnerships. Health Care Management Review1998; 23(2): 39–55.
21.
DavidukWilliam, Director of Finance, Seven Oaks General Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba, interview with author, May 1999.
22.
KrupkaF., Director, Health Information and Dietary Services, Deer Lodge Centre Inc., Winnipeg, Manitoba, interview with author, May 1999.
23.
LucasGary, Labour Relations Consultant, Ontario Hospital Association, interview with author, July 1998.
24.
United Steelworkers of America and Timmins and District Hospital. (Award of 13 pages; DA Haris, Sole Arbitrator, October 18, 1996.)
25.
Sunnybrook Hospital Employees' Union, Local 777 of Service Employees' International Union, AFL, CIO, CLC and Sunnybrook Health Science Centre. (Award of 34 pages; RG Goodfellow, Sole Arbitrator, February 5, 1997.)
26.
BlaisBernard, President and CEO, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, Chatham, Ontario, interview with author, May 1999.
27.
PoitrasPaulette, Chief Steward, Service Employees International Union, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre, interview with author, May 1999.