Shouldice Essay

703 Words3 Pages
Shouldice Case The Environment Shouldice Hospital has a way of making customers feel comfortable by the environment it has created. Dr. Earle Shouldice, the founder, saw an opportunity to start a practice to repair hernias in a very efficient manner. Some customers have questioned the idea and the fact that the procedure seemed so quick and effortless, but after patients were being discharged with successful operations, people were learning about Shouldice Hospital by word of mouth. The demand for surgeries to be performed at Shouldice Hospital is increasing, and they are having a hard time determining how to satisfy customer’s needs. Because Shouldice prides itself on being very attentive to it’s customers, it is a hard for them to decide on what the best method is to meet the demand. Whether it is expanding to the United States or expanding its own facility, the managers of Shouldice are having a hard time determining what is best for the organization. Some of the reasons for Shouldice Hospital’s success correlate to how they treat their customers. For example, patients have an opportunity to meet other patients that have had the surgery before they are operated on. This gives them a sense of relief because nerves are usually high in most cases. Also, customers are given an information session before surgery to ask any questions concerning the procedure. Additionally, Shouldice also has a competitive advantage. They are unique in the fact that the surgeries require very little recovery time and the cost is less than most other facilities. These two factors drive out competition causing Shouldice to always have a full schedule of patients. The staffing of Shouldice is unique because of the ratio of nurses to patients. One nurse may have fifteen patients, but the patients are not nurse dependent. The patients are encouraged to move freely throughout the hospital
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