By Healthcare Facilities Today

The Capital District Health Authority is replacing a money-losing Tim Hortons in the Halifax Infirmary in Nova Scotia, Canada, with a dialysis unit next month as officials begin to search for ways to save millions of dollars, according to an article on the CBS website. 

Brian Rankine, director of managed services for the health authority, said they looked at moving the Summer Street coffee spot to another location, but it would have cost $175,000. Money destined for health care in Nova Scotia supplements the food service, the article said. 

The health authority has several Tim Hortons and cafeterias that have operated at a deficit of more than $5 million over the past five years.

“All the employees apart from the management are Capital Health employees and so with our wages and benefits, it's hard to reach even a break-even point let alone make some money, whereas an alternative model would see Capital Health no longer operating the retail food services,” Rankine said in the article.

Capital Health has been asking the province for years to allow them to change their food service delivery as a way to stem losses, but the NDP government wouldn't allow it.

A health department spokesman said the province is conducting an analysis of  food services across the health care system to get a better sense of how food service dollars are being spent

Read the article.