15. July 2022
"We are a team"
Bethesda Hospital in Basel has been relying on ISS services for 25 years. How does such a partnership develop? An interview with Daniel Tschopp (right), Head of Hospitality and Logistics at Bethesda Hospital, and Nuno Cruz (left), ISS Facility Services Director Healthcare.
Mr Tschopp, how did the collaboration between Bethesda Hospital and ISS begin?
DANIEL TSCHOPP: In 1996, the Bethesda management decided to focus more on the core business and outsource non-business areas such as maintenance cleaning. This was a visionary step for a private hospital with a diaconal history, as religious sisters had been responsible for everything here for decades - alongside a few doctors.
Mr Cruz, what distinguishes ISS employees in the healthcare sector?
NUN CRUZ: They are specially trained, for example in matters of hygiene or in sensitive contact with patients. We must never forget that we often encounter people in extreme situations in a hospital.
DANIEL TSCHOPP: Our patients can't tell the difference between a Bethesda Hospital employee and an ISS employee standing in front of them. This means that each and every ISS employee must share our culture. We are a team.
What services do ISS employees provide at Bethesda Hospital?
NUNO CRUZ: In addition to cleaning buildings, our team takes on tasks such as internal mail and courier services, internal removals, internal transport (medication, laundry, waste, drinks, etc.) as well as occasional special cleaning and technical support at events. Many employees therefore have several tasks and see this as a welcome change and further development. In addition, by bundling various tasks, we can efficiently offer our customers a maximum of services. This creates added value for employees, for customers and for ISS.
(Published in the ISS Insider spring 2022)