Work Project

by Joe Turner, December 20, 2017

I have been blessed tremendously since beginning this academic journey back in 2014. Not only have I been able to move through the ranks from an hourly associate, to a salaried manager, I have been given the opportunity to experience different levels of hospitality as it relates to the area of hospital foodservice. It is different because I get to view hospitality from two perspectives: patient services and retail services.

I am in “contract food management” with Morrison Healthcare, a Compass Group USA subsidiary, at the well-known Stroger Cook County Hospital.  At Morrison, we believe in the “Power of Food” and, that means having systems in place to deliver nutritious, hot food that is on time and appealing. One of the metrics used to see how well we are doing is what is known as the “Press Ganey” scoring system. We have begun to implement changes to the way food is delivered, how it is handled and systems to improve employee engagement in dealing with our guests who are the patients. The goal is to improve guest/patient satisfaction and to achieve an overall good experience for the patient.

I am excited because it is a chance to be of service in a way that is beneficial to overall wellness, as well as, showcase the basic ideas that we learn as Hospitality Management specialist. I am looking forward to working on the patient services team as we roll out the proverbial “red carpet” to ensure a better patient/guest experience.