Harrisburg, Pa.-based UPMC Pinnacle is switching vendors for environmental services and food service, affecting hundreds of hospital workers, officials confirmed to Becker's Hospital Review.
The system has been contracting with Gaithersburg, Md.-based Sodexo for EVS and FS. However, it decided to switch to Philadelphia-based Aramark Healthcare following a competitive bidding process.
UPMC Pinnacle said Aramark will provide EVS and FS across all UPMC Pinnacle hospitals except UPMC Pinnacle Hanover (Pa.) starting April 1, 2018.
"We identified Aramark Healthcare as the partner of choice based on the content of their proposal, their references, prior successes, and their fit with our culture," the system said. "Our goals for this process were improved quality outcomes and consistent and efficient FS and EVS programs systemwide."
The move affects 450-plus people in Pennsylvania's Dauphin and Cumberland counties, according to a FOX43 report.
UPMC Pinnacle said contracted and employed EVS and FS team members will be eligible to move to Aramark, and active employees "in good standing at the time of the transaction's close" will receive employment offers.
"Our current vendors have been great partners, and we thank them for their support and services. We are focused on making this transition as seamless as possible for patients, employees and our partners," system officials said.
Sodexo said in a statement to Becker's Hospital Review: "Sodexo has enjoyed a long and successful relationship with both UPMC Pinnacle Hospital in Harrisburg and a UPMC Pinnacle Hospital on the West shore. Unfortunately, after a competitive bid process, they've decided to go in a different direction with their dining and environmental services program. While employees in this industry are typically retained, we defer questions related to the number and the future of the employees to UMPC. We stand ready to serve UMPC in the future should the opportunity present itself."
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