Few Services Outsourced by NWA Hospitals

Outsourcing is not a trend whose time has come at most Northwest Arkansas hospitals.

Mark Bever, chief operating officer at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rogers, says economics and the local labor market are both factors when deciding whether to contract with outside sources for services. Also, officials must consider the effect of “outsiders” on the entire organization.

“We out source very little” at St. Mary’s, Bever says. “We don’t outsource any major [services because] it hasn’t been economical.”

Services commonly outsourced by health systems are food and environmental care or housekeeping services, Bever says.