Organizational decisions for food procurement in hospitals

Effective food procurement is an important foodservice management function and has been established as a complex managerial process facilitated through organizational decision-making. Although the importance of decisions made by dietetic professionals responsible for food purchasing is currently increasing because of world and national concerns, the findings of this survey revealed a gap between theory and practice of food procurement. Some trends were revealed concerning the academic preparation for food procurement in the curricula of various educational programs. Entry-level competencies in buying food need to be defined. To educate students to be competent in food procurement decisions, effective planning and working relationships among administrative personnel in hospital foodservice operations and college and university educators are necessary. The twenty criteria for effective food purchasing and the associated specific practices provide a basic approach for such effective planning and working relationships.