NCH Healthcare outsourcing 224 employees

The NCH Healthcare System is outsourcing 224 employees who work in food service and housekeeping Oct. 1, say hospital officials. NCH has signed an agreement with Sodexo, headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., to take over the employment of 114 workers in food service and 110 employees in housekeeping, said Michele Thoman, chief nursing officer for NCH. Outsourcing the employees enables the hospital system to focus on patient care as the healthcare industry faces declining reimbursement from the federal government for Medicare, increasing overhead costs and other challenges.