MDH to Contract with Denman Linen, Crothall-Morrison Healthcare For Selected Support Services Effective November 1

Macomb -- McDonough District Hospital has contracted with Denman Linen Service and Crothall-Morrison Healthcare to operate linen, environmental and nutrition/food support services at MDH, effective Nov. 1.

“These changes are made in accordance with the hospital’s strategic plan review of service operations for financial viability and system and mission alignment,” said MDH CEO/President Kenny Boyd. “These decisions will result in changes in employment status for 55 MDH staff. These contracts reduce costs by approximately $1 million and provide opportunities to improve support services during the next five years through this new operational alignment.”

Morrison serves more than 600 hospitals and healthcare systems. Morrison’s hospital kitchens, restaurants, and cafés feature socially responsible practices and exceptional guest experiences. The company’s Mindful ChoicesSM platform includes the latest in healthful eating and an understanding of behavioral change in food consumption.

Crothall-Morrison has joined the Partnership for a Healthier America’s (PHA) Hospital Healthy Food Initiative by committing 400 of its hospitals to improve the nutrition of patient meals and onsite food options. Morrison’s alignment with PHA will positively impact up to 41 million patients and 500 million hospital meals annually.

Current MDH food and nutrition employees will be offered a position with the service company, provided they meet company drug and background screening standards. The transition from hospital employment and benefits for nutrition and dietary staff will take place Dec. 5, 2014. There are 11 full time and 11 part time nutrition and food service employees.

MDH environmental services department (housekeeping and facilities set up) employees will be transitioned from hospital employment to Crothall, provided they meet company drug and background screening standards. There are 17 full time and 8 part time environmental services employees at MDH. Current MDH employees will transfer to Crothall employment Dec. 5.

Crothall’s housekeeping specialization drives out waste, delivers effective service, and drives productivity using best practices from the healthcare industry, according to the company’s website.

Representatives of Crothall-Morrison will begin meeting with employees and reviewing practices in the contract service areas in the weeks ahead.

The contract with Denman will reduce overhead associated with operation of in-house facilities, will eliminate the need to re-capitalize aging washing and drying equipment and result in the immediate layoff of five full time and three part time employees. Linen services employees at MDH will receive severance benefits reflective of their number of years of service with the hospital. MDH had operated its own laundry services since the opening of the building in 1958, Denman is affiliated with Blessing Hospital Systems in Quincy and provides laundry services to 12 hospitals and several clinics in the Tri-State area.

“We implement best practice standards throughout the MDH clinical health care delivery system by working with the Illinois Hospital Association and other health care clinical providers,” Boyd said. “By contracting with national service providers who specialize in health care support we can implement best practices which enhance the hospital environment.”

Employees in the three departments were told of the changes Friday, Oct.31 by Boyd. Information was sent hospital-wide following the employee meetings.