Hospitals, senior living residences and skilled nursing facilities have been paying closer attention to diet and cuisine than ever before, adopting many of the systems that have made the hospitality industry successful. One of the major trends has been to offer “room service” style dining. Today, patients and residents are treated as though they are hotel guests, given the opportunity to order what they want when they want it. The results are greater satisfaction for the patient or resident and a new market value for the provider.

 

Ralph Rios, Vice-President of Professional Services at West Kendall Baptist Hospital, constructed four years ago in a thriving community west of Miami, is totally focused on the patient needs The hospital, which is a part of Baptist Health South Florida, opened its doors 4 years ago adopting a 100 percent room service approach to serving in-room meals. “Food is one of the few recognizable aspects of care that the patient doesn’t mind thinking about. Deciding what they want to eat is one of the few choices they are able to make,” explains Rios. As the person responsible for overseeing the team that prepares and serves all food to 133 licensed, acute-care inpatient private rooms, he makes sure they are able to do so between 6 AM and 2 AM.

 

According to Technomics, a nationally recognized source for food and foodservice industry data, “In 2013 outside foodservice management firms provided approximately 25 percent of food programs in U.S. hospitals.” Holy Cross in Fort Lauderdale, a full-service 557-bed hospital that is part of Trinity Health, three years ago enlisted the expertise of Sodexo, an international corporation, to improve its foodservice.

 

Ann Curtis Thomas, a 26 year Sodexo veteran, who joined the hospital as Director, Food and Nutrition Services says, “The leadership here believed a change was essential to reflect its people-focused philosophy In partnership, we present the opportunity for patients to order from a diverse menu, eating what they want when they want it beginning as early as 6:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. at night.”

 

The Holy Cross “At Your Request Room Service Dining by Sodexo” menu now is diversified with a variety of choices that are fresh, “nutrient-rich”, lower in fats and diabetes sensitive. ”For too long, nutrition was the forgotten part of healthcare,” she adds.

 

Diners can select anything from made-to-order omelets with an assortment of extras, Quesadillas and stir fry or chicken. Comfort foods like meatloaf made with ground turkey or mac and low fat cheeses cooked with whole wheat pastas appear to be favorites of patients and visitors. They can take advantage of the same healthful choices at the Heart Healthy Café, hospital cafeteria or Healthplex Women’s Center Café. “We present everyone more creative ways to eat healthy wherever they eat,” Curtis Thomas emphasizes.

 

In 2014, Greystone Healthcare Management Corp., began redefining food service and the dining experience for their post-acute care facilities. “The ultimate goal of our Food and Nutritional Services now is to provide exceptional, restaurant style experiences,” says Chef Dewayne Pace, Director of Food and Nutritional Services at Greystone Healthcare Management. Greystone Healthcare headquartered in Tampa, FL manages a healthcare network comprised of skilled nursing and assisted living communities, outpatient rehabilitation, home healthcare, home and hospice care throughout Florida and Ohio.

 

Greystone accomplishes this by giving each resident and patient control over their menu choices, their dining location and the time they want to dine. “We strive to not only meet nutritional parameters, but also to provide inspired and appealing meals. Serious attention was given to the taste and the presentation of the food offered to the patients and residents. It may be healthy, but if a meal doesn’t look appealing and taste good, they are not going to eat it,” says Chef Pace.

 

Today, menus are customized to the location and patient demographics of a particular community. This variety is evident in a lunch menu that includes tortilla soup, savory grilled chicken or grilled Italian steak and Mexican Sweet Flan. Daily menus offer choices of appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Foods also were added that could be ordered throughout the day including Cottage Cheese and Fruit Plate, Sandwich of the Day on Croissant, Chef Salad or Grilled Chicken Sandwich.

 

The question now arises “Who is in the kitchen cooking up all these new ideas?” In the June issue, SFHN&HR will introduce you to some of the signature chefs who are changing the public concept of Healthcare food.