Emily Olney

Abstract

Foodservice systems are a necessary and integral part of virtually every hospital. Although hospital foodservice is not the primary function hospitals perform, the foodservice system is a significant part of a hospital's operating budget and floor space, and as a result, should be operated in an optimal way. The main objective of this thesis is to determine the best foodservice system for alternative hospital configurations focusing on the tray assembly and ordering/delivery methods used in providing meals to patients. Four main factors are evaluated at two different levels for each factor using a full factorial experiment. These four factors are hospital size, tray assembly method, ordering and delivery system, and the type of menu offered. A detailed experiment and analysis is performed using simulation modeling to accurately evaluate the alternative hospital configurations. Other industrial engineering tools are used in the creation and analysis of alternative foodservice systems including lean manufacturing concepts. The alternative foodservice systems are compared based on system performance that includes measures of timeliness, productivity, and patient satisfaction. In addition, this thesis examines the foodservice system in a local hospital, F.F. Thompson Hospital, and applies the results of the experiments to provide a recommendation for implementing a new foodservice system. The final result provides hospitals with a basis for establishing a foodservice system that meets the needs of hospitals and their patients.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Hospitals--Food service--United States; Hospitals--Food service--United States--Cost effectiveness

Publication Date

8-1-2003

Document Type

Thesis

Department, Program, or Center

Industrial and Systems Engineering (KGCOE)

Advisor

Kuhl, Michael

Advisor/Committee Member

Hager, Elisabeth

Comments

Note: imported from RIT’s Digital Media Library running on DSpace to RIT Scholar Works. Physical copy available through RIT's The Wallace Library at: RA975.5.D5 O46 2003

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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