Inlet Isles: A Hospital Foodservice Case Study - Softcover

This case study workbook provides students with an excellent opportunity to:

• Familiarize themselves with a hospital foodservice operation
• Apply their foodservice knowledge to a "real life situation"
• Practice problem solving and critical thinking skills
• Make management decisions in a complex environment
• Learn to interpret financial reports and spreadsheets
• Develop employee schedules and handle staffing problems
• Work in groups to accomplish goals and solve problems

PREFACE

The purpose of this case study is to give students a chance to apply what they have learned in foodservice operations and management to a complex "real-life" situation. Specifically, students will have an opportunity to look at a food service operation in detail and perform evaluation, problem solving, financial, staffing, and planning functions. The case study includes a narrative about the foodservice operation, an organizational chart, staffing information, budget and weekly operating report information, menus, and problems or activities.

A computer disk with the weekly operating report and master schedule form is also included so students can practice making employee schedules and assess how changes in expenses or revenues influence cost per patient day.

This case can be used in its entirety or in partial form, depending on how it fits into a syllabus or course outline. It can also serve as a foundation for additional problems and activities designed by the instructor or supervised practice program director.

We hope that this case study workbook will provide an opportunity for applied learning, critical thinking, and fun for students and instructors alike.

The references below may be useful for gaining a better understanding of the principles illustrated in this case. More specifically, the book Measure It, Manage It can provide a more detailed step-by-step guide to understanding the financial reports. In addition, the text Food for Fifty contains most of the recipes listed on the menus. The other textbooks, Foodservice Organizations: A Managerial and Systems Approach, Health Care Food Service Management, Introduction to Foodservice and Management Practice in Dietetics provide a comprehensive overview of foodservice management and operations.

References That May Be Helpful in Completing Case

Richards, L. (1997). Measure It, Manage It. Chicago, IL: The American Dietetic Association.
Molt, M. (2001). Food for Fifty. (11th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Spears, M. (1995). Foodservice Organizations: A Managerial and Systems Approach (3rd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Sullivan, C., & Atlas, C. (1997). Health Care Food Service Systems Management. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen Publishers.
Payne-Palacio, J., & Theis, M. (2001). Introduction to Foodservice (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Hudson, N. (2000). Management Practice in Dietetics. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.

Amy Allen-Chabot
Suzanne Curtis
Alma Blake