Client Case Study - Lee Memorial Health System

The Concept:
Lee Memorial Health System operated kitchens in all of their facilities prior to 2001. The hospitals served by the system are Cape Coral Hospital, Health Park Medical Center and Care Center, Lee Memorial Hospital, The Childrens Hospital and the Rehabilitation Hospital at Fort Myers. There are 1,100 beds in the system.

Consolidation of operations for the five Hospitals served by Dietary to one central processing facility for production and tray assembly was recommended was recommended by the system facility Master Plan.

Due to age, renovations to the existing kitchen were needed, but no additional space was available to carry out the additional functions.

The Process:
Production is based at the Lee Memorial Campus. Key pieces of equipment include: Combi Ovens, Blast Chillers and Vacuum Sealers for product packaging.

Tray Assembly takes place in a temperature-controlled room. Six staff members assemble up to 2,500 trays within a ten-hour period.

Assembled trays are taken by refrigrated truck to the other sites. Clean trays and plate covers are returned from each site to the assembly room.

The Result:
1) Total Cost per Meal has decreased by 6% over the last two years from $3.82 to $3.41
2) Employee Satisfaction is at 90+% in the Food & Nutrition Department
3) Elimination of 19 productive FTE's
4) Labor cost reduction of $500,000 + annually
5) Capital Cost Avoidance of $750,000
6) Limited capital required to serve new units - need rethermalization units only, compared to the cost of a new full service kitchen.

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