Learning from the Hospitality Industry

Public health sector facilities come under great scrutiny in terms of their performance, the conduct of their staff and the general working environment presented to the patient. These factors taken singularly or together, tend to shape public opinion about the quality of care, goods and service arising from the facility, but also shapes confidence in the health sector as a whole. While great efforts have been made to addressed the service provision, the traditional approach of learning only from the health sector itself, have resulted in stagnation in terms of developing the health sector as a customer- facing, patient- focused member of the service industry, in tune with the absolute definition on hospital care or hospitality services. The health sector can learn much from the hospitality industry, by recognizing the common elements that apply to both health and hospitality services, given their common and historical background.