Assessment of the food service department in Tanta university general hospital

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to assess the effectiveness of the food service department in TUGH. The food service department in this hospital was purposefully chosen because it had been recently renovated with up to date equipment. Data collection was carried out through the use of three checklists i.e. sanitation, personnel performance and organization and staffing checklists. Results revealed that although modern equipment was available, it was not used either becacuse it was out of order [e.g. refrigerators and electric heating cupboard], still kept in store [insulated trays], or available and in good working condition but left over by kitchen personnel for more old fashioned manual methods [e.g. potatoe peeler and tomatoe squeezer machines]. The physical layout and sanitary condition of the department were also studied, with the results being all way below standard. Again, results of the personnel performance checklist revealed that most of the required activities were not adequately performed. In fact, the highest percentage of tasks done in any one activity reached only 39.05% and this was in tasks related to personnel cleanliness. Finally, the organizational and staffing patterns of the department were compared to the requirements set by the JCAH [1977]. None of the organizational requirements existed in the department, while only a small percentage of the staffing requirements were fulfilled