The story of the partnership between Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin (DHZB) and Sodexo/Zehnacker began more than 25 years ago. DHZB is an internationally acclaimed institution for medical and scientific excellence in the field of coronary and cardiovascular diseases.
To maintain its international reputation for excellence, DHZB has set clear strategic priorities:
- attract and retain elite medical staff
- be the hospital of choice, even for international patients
- deliver premium care in an economically efficient way
Competitiveness challenges
German hospitals face multiple challenges including the introduction of flat rate per case payments, shortage of medical labour, fiscal pressure and increasing operational costs.
To respond effectively to these challenges, internal process quality and cost-effectiveness is critical.
Birth of a partnership
In 1986, Sodexo became DHZB’s strategic partner, beginning a cooperative effort to improve competitiveness, starting in the areas of building cleaning and in-house logistics.
Back then, outsourcing hospital facilities management services was unusual. The partners worked together to analyse, standardise and optimise services, ensuring quality and economic value.
In 1997, DHZB and Sodexo initiated an innovative collaboration model creating a joint ‘Service Company’ enabling the hospital to focus on core competencies and increase competitive capability.
Sodexo added other support services to include patient transport, sterilisation services, laundry supply, administrative and technical services.
Continuous improvement
The partnership’s true value, however, does not come from adding services, but rather from the joint Service Company’s ability to design high impact services and to integrate them into a value-adding solution. The result: enhanced synergies between individual services and lasting improvements of the entire support services process chains.
For example a Service Centre for integrated facility management was established to coordinate job orders for all services. This centralised help-desk documents, dispatches and tracks service requirements throughout the DHZB complex, improving access to services and reducing extra administrative work for DHZB staff.
Tangible benefits
Despite an increasingly competitive operating environment, DHZB has increased profitability and strengthened its competitive position. The success reflects the combination of a management team willing to innovate and take risks, accompanied by a partner capable of anticipating market developments and adapting its offer to meet its client’s needs. All ingredients for a successful partnership!
Box 1: Measurable outcomes
Highest medical standards
- 90% of patients transported in less than five minutes
Compliance
- KTQ certification for sterilisation process
Reduced operating costs
- Over €250K savings in transport and sterilisation services
- 52% savings in bed management
- 10% savings in technical maintenance
Box 2: About Sodexo
For over 40 years, Sodexo, world leader in quality of life services, has helped hospitals improve their performance and provide the best possible healthcare experience to patients and their families.
Sodexo designs, manages and delivers a unique combination of services impacting people, processes and infrastructure to over 4350 hospitals in 37 countries.
Patients, visitors and staff
- nutrition
- reception/admissions
- retail management
Healthcare support
- logistics
- central sterilisation
- biomedical cleaning
Medical infrastructure and equipment
- biomedical engineering
- energy management
- facilities management
For further information
visit: www.sodexo.com
or contact: Nataliane Thoulon
VP Strategy and Development Global Healthcare
email: [email protected]
