A Look Back at 2021: A Healthcare CEO Perspective
By Tim Pierce, CEO of Morrison Healthcare
What a year it has been.
Last year at this time, I wrote about the challenges and struggles in our industry. 2020 was challenging and the same is true for 2021. It seems every day brings a new set of challenges that requires an uncomfortable decision or brings us to a new junction point.
The challenges keep rolling and we keep rolling up our sleeves to ensure patients receive the proper care and nutrition. Over the past year, I’ve witnessed a few things that have impacted our business and will continue to be a factor in the coming year.
People Matter
This is a no-brainer. At Morrison Healthcare, we have always put our people first by offering career paths and opportunities at all levels of the organization. People are at the center of healthcare. By taking care of our people, they are better suited to care for our patients and communities.
The value in recruitment and retention strategies has never been more apparent as industries across the country struggle to maintain staffing and provide services. Healthcare has been hit particularly hard as COVID-19 cases surge and short-staffed departments strain to ensure patients receive the proper care. There has been tremendous sacrifice by caregivers over the past year. We value and recognize this dedication.
As recognition of Morrison Healthcare’s commitment to its associates, we were selected as Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to work in 2021, which would be an incredible achievement in any year, but especially impressive in 2021.
Change is Constant
As the industry has shifted and new challenges have emerged, smart leaders have adapted to the change in the marketplace. For healthcare, that means embracing the disruptors that are impacting the traditional care model by providing new paths to wellness and access to care.
At the heart of our story at Morrison Healthcare, we deliver food that is bursting with flavor and nutrition, but that is only the beginning. We are transforming hospital cafes into healthy food havens. We are increasing healthy behaviors in our communities through tools like the mobile Teaching Kitchen. We are active in community wellness, working with populations to create sustainable wellness that transcends geographic and social boundaries.
While tactics and the world around us may change, if we stay true to our mission, we will remain relevant and well-positioned for the future of healthcare.
Sustainability Leads the Way
In an unstable marketplace, it is important to create a resilient organization. We are seeing a push for sustainability in all areas of healthcare operations. Our clients are asking for innovative strategies to address sustainability for both supply chain and resource sourcing.
Addressing these areas is a challenge every healthcare organization has grappled with over the past year. We have taken a creative view of sourcing by finding supply chain solutions that bring diversity to our clients.
The road to sustainability is not easy. It will take continued investment, but the payoff will be significant, allowing hospitals to create resilient, long-term solutions that bring wellness to patients and communities.
We acknowledge and accept the challenges before us. We have been successful in 2021 because of our people and their commitment to serving our patients and communities. Going forward, we will continue to innovate alongside our clients, recruit and retain top talent, and drive improvements in the patient experience. While 2021 was a year of change, 2022 will be the year we chart a course that will become the future of healthcare.
