Terceirização dos serviços de nutrição em hospitais: impactos na qualidade e na segurança alimentar

Abstract

Outsourcing nutrition services in healthcare institutions has become a widely adopted strategy to optimize resources, reduce costs, and enhance operational efficiency. However, its effectiveness depends directly on the quality of oversight and contractual control mechanisms. This study aimed to evaluate the services provided by an outsourced nutrition company in a hospital from 2022 to 2024. The Results Measurement Instrument (RMI) served as the basis for analysis. The research used both qualitative and quantitative approaches, relying on the documentary analysis of technical inspection reports provided by the hospital. The data were organized into graphs and discussed alongside the literature on outsourcing and quality management in hospital services. The results indicate that, between april/2022 and august/2024, the indicators of punctuality, adequacy of non-conformities, specification of supplies, hygienic conditions, and general supervision showed fluctuations. However, they did not demonstrate consistent improvement. Conversely, microbiological control exhibited a continuous growth trend. This established it as a critical point for management to prioritize. The percentage of contractual discount decreased significantly throughout 2023, but increased again in 2024, particularly in January and July. These increases signaled setbacks in service quality. The overall score, in turn, rose. This should be interpreted as a negative result, since it indicates a greater number of nonconformities. Thus, outsourcing proves to be a viable strategy for hospital management, provided it includes effective and systematic monitoring and evaluation instruments. The IMR helped identify failures and opportunities for improvement, although it needs refinements. Future studies should expand the sample and include user perceptions.