You are the executive of a five-hospital system in a metropolitan area. The oldest of your facilities, St. Mary’s, was founded in 1882 and has been sponsored by the congregation from its inception. The sisters take pride in the fact that they have remained in the city even though many persons fled during the “white flight” of the 1960’s and 1970’s.
St. Mary’s has long operated a laundry that serves the rest of the system’s acute and long-term care facilities. Mentally handicapped adults staff the laundry. Most of them have been referred for employment from the diocese’s special education school. At a recent awards banquet, you conferred an award on one of these men for 25 years of faithful service.
Over the last few years, however your executive staff has raised questions about the laundry. First, as the system has grown, it seems that the quality of the laundry’s work has diminished. You have received reports of late delivery and dingy looking sheets and towels. The laundry’s ancient machinery is badly in need of replacement. It is only through the excellent maintenance staff that it is still running. And the laundry supervisor has some serious safety concerns working with old machines.
You have hired an outside agency to do an assessment of the laundry service and the agency recommends that you outsource this service. They predict that you will save a sizeable amount of money and be able to eliminate a significant number of FTEs.
When you bring this proposal to the Board of Directors, one of the members mentions that the system has as one of its stated values care of those who are poor and vulnerable.