For 25 years, the renowned Bethesda Hospital in Basel has relied on ISS for a wide range of support services. How does such a partnership develop in an industry that is under constant cost pressure? A conversation with Daniel Tschopp, Head of Hospitality and Logistics at Bethesda Hospital; Nuno Cruz, ISS Facility Services Director for Healthcare; and Martina Fässler, ISS Head of Key Accounts for Healthcare.
Do you all know Bethesda Hospital as a place of work - and also as a patient?
Nuno Cruz
Not directly, but both of my children were born here. Since I knew exactly how great this hospital is, there was no question for my wife and me about where our children should be born. When our first child was born, we even had a family room where I was able to be with my family around the clock for the first three days and nights. That was a wonderful experience.
Daniel Tschopp
That’s when I got to know Nuno Cruz on a personal level - as a new, proud father. I visited him and his family on the very first day. It’s nice when you usually work so closely together.
You’ve never been in a hospital bed at Bethesda Hospital, Mr. Tschopp?
Daniel Tschopp
Yes, I have - just not as a patient. I’m too healthy for that (laughs). But a few years ago, we were evaluating new hospital beds, and I took part in the test sleep - along with the ISS facility manager at the time, by the way. We even traveled to the bed factory in Dresden. For investments like this, which entail ongoing operational costs, we always involve ISS.
Martina Fässler
That’s a good example of how important different perspectives are for sustainable solutions: The test sleep provided the patient’s perspective, and by involving ISS, Mr. Tschopp ensured that the operating costs of such an investment - such as those arising from bed maintenance - were also factored in.
Daniel Tschopp, Head of Hospitality and Logistics, Bethesda Hospital
Mr. Tschopp, the partnership between Bethesda Hospital and ISS is celebrating its 25th anniversary today. How did this story begin?
Daniel Tschopp
In 1996, Bethesda’s management decided to focus more on its core business and to outsource non-core areas, such as routine cleaning. At the time, that was a visionary move for a private hospital with a diaconal history, since for decades, nuns had been responsible for everything there - alongside just a few doctors.
ISS took over the entire cleaning staff at Bethesda Hospital at that time. Was there any resistance to the outsourcing?
Daniel Tschopp
Yes, there was. And it didn’t help that the quality of the cleaning didn’t meet our expectations at first. I remember well having an intense discussion here in this restaurant in 1999 with André Nauer, who wasn’t CEO at the time. I even threatened to quit. André Nauer replied, “Give me a month, and it’ll work out.” And that’s exactly how it turned out. Since then, ISS and we have maintained a constructive and successful partnership, though we also have tough discussions when we disagree.
Nuno Cruz, ISS Facility Services Director and Account Manager for Bethesda
Nuno Cruz, the healthcare sector is under constant cost pressure. How does that affect collaboration?
Nuno Cruz
We’re feeling that cost pressure, too. On top of that, there are trends like “outpatient care over inpatient care,” which increase patient volume and, consequently, the cleaning workload. That’s why one of our main tasks is to continuously optimize our processes. For example, we noticed duplicate work when a patient’s discharge was moved at short notice from the morning to the afternoon. In those cases, we often ended up cleaning the same room twice. The solution: At the suggestion and on behalf of Daniel Tschopp, we extended the time window for room cleaning into the afternoon so we could respond more flexibly.
Martina Fässler
We have implemented Monitoring@ISS. With this tool, developed by the ISS Group, we can send work schedules or last-minute assignments directly to our employees’ smartphones. Working closely with Antje Klimach, Head of Room Service at Bethesda, we were also able to automate checkout management by electronically recording each checkout and scheduling the cleaning. This allows for flexibility and reduces costs—while maintaining the same level of service. In the medium term, Monitoring@ISS will enable the client to conduct even better, data-driven quality control of our services and ensure absolute transparency regarding KPIs.
Martina Fässler, Head of Key Accounts Healthcare, ISS
Martina Fässler, what sets ISS employees in the healthcare sector apart?
Martina Fässler
For one thing, they receive specialized training, for example in hygiene or in dealing sensitively with patients. We must never forget that in a hospital, we repeatedly encounter people who are in extreme situations.
Daniel Tschopp
And in such situations, our patients don’t distinguish between whether they’re dealing with a Bethesda Hospital employee or an ISS employee. That means every ISS employee must embrace our culture. We’re a team, which is why ISS employees receive Christmas gifts from us just like our own employees do.
Martina Fässler
On the other hand, some ISS employees need to be versatile - that is, able to handle different services - so that we can offer our client the maximum range of services as efficiently as possible. This requires additional training - for example, on data security, in order to handle the mail service.
Nuno Cruz
Many employees also see this variety as an opportunity because it allows them to develop further and become “more valuable” to the business. This creates a positive dynamic that is recognized and appreciated by both ISS and the client.
Daniel Tschopp
The COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, has shown just how important flexibility and versatility are. ISS and Bethesda Hospital employees constantly had to make up for absences and step in for others. But even setting aside the pandemic, one thing remains true: versatility drives efficiency. In the past, a Bethesda employee working a 30-percent position was responsible for internal mail distribution. If that person was sick or on vacation, we had a problem. So should we have filled two 30-percent positions? That would have been much more expensive than delegating this service to ISS. The same applies to ad-hoc support services for events. As Head of Hospitality and Logistics, ISS gives me the confidence that we can handle virtually any facility management task as needed.
So is cost pressure also an opportunity for ISS?
Nuno Cruz
Yes, definitely. In the past, ISS simply provided services; today, we’re challenged to successfully support the customer’s core business from their perspective - on the one hand, by further optimizing our service mandate and well-established processes, and on the other hand, by broadening our perspective to see where else we can apply our expertise.
Daniel Tschopp
That also applies to construction projects. When we install new flooring today, we bring ISS on board because ISS will be cleaning those floors for years to come and knows just how costly that can be with certain materials. Operating costs are a major expense category in a hospital. ISS can contribute a great deal of expertise here, helping us save money in the future.
Speaking of the future - what makes you think Bethesda Hospital and ISS will still be partners 25 years from now?
Martina Fässler
As in any partnership, it’s important for both partners to grow - together, but also individually. My job is to look beyond Bethesda Hospital and see what works well at other healthcare institutions. I also ensure that technological innovations from the ISS Group are adopted - such as Monitoring@ISS.
Daniel Tschopp
Our partnership is based on transparency, trust, mutual growth, and sustainable development. These are values that not only ISS and Bethesda Hospital hold dear, but that also benefit our patients, new mothers, and employees. Together, we are creating the ideal conditions for continued collaboration.
The Swiss Leading Hospitals: Bethesda Hospital
Bethesda Hospital in Basel is part of The Swiss Leading Hospitals. Its core medical specialties include “Pregnancy & Childbirth,” “Women’s Health,” “Musculoskeletal System,” and “Rehabilitation.” Personalized care, compassion, a family-like atmosphere, excellent hospitality, and the peaceful location in the park all contribute to a successful recovery. Bethesda Hospital offers 143 beds and is open to patients with all insurance plans.