Creating Comfort in Hospitals with Healthcare Foodservice

Wellness and comfort are two main objectives in any hospital or healthcare facility. While medical care and treatment are primarily responsible for determining how these goals are achieved, another factor also plays an important role. Foodservice. Critical in healthcare environments because it contributes to nourishment and the recovery of sick and ill patients, food and beverage also play a significant role in overall satisfaction ratings. Yes, the bedside manner of doctors and the conditions of the facility factor into how patients and their families will rate a hospital, but healthcare foodservice can be just as critical, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Satisfaction from food and beverage stems from seven critical points, the report states. These include food quality, timely service, reliable service, food temperatures, the friendliness of those delivering meals, the friendliness of those serving meals, and meal customization. Let’s take a closer look at a few of these factors.

Patients Want Quality Food, Not Just Healthy Food

Ultimately, the foods and beverages patients consume should contribute to wellness, recovery, and good health. Sometimes, medical conditions will prevent patients from eating certain foods altogether. In other cases, dietary restrictions are a factor. No matter how the nutritional aspects of food will satisfy healthcare providers, it’s the quality aspects of foods that will satisfy patients. Hospital and healthcare food doesn’t have to be institutional. It can be a highlight of the day for many sick and ill patients, and, if you ask them, mealtimes can be exactly that — the highlights of the day.

Patients Want Service With a Smile and Service That’s on Time

Four of the seven points contributing to healthcare foodservice satisfaction ratings in the report above are related to service. Patients want foodservice that’s on-time and reliable, two factors that are completely within an operator’s control. If mealtimes are the day’s highlights, ensure those highlights are on time. But there’s another important aspect of healthcare foodservice facilities that is often overlooked. Mealtimes also mean interactions with people other than doctors and nurses. Rather than someone entering the room with another needle, dinner means people with a warm plate of chicken and mashed potatoes. For patients, they want those people to be happy and courteous. For healthcare foodservice operators, it means refining labor and training practices.

Patients Want Meals the Way They Want Them

It sounds like a tongue twister, but it’s true. Customization in meal service is vital in hospitals for so many reasons. First of all, there are health and dietary issues. If a patient is gluten-free, customizing a dish so that it doesn’t contain bread crumbs or roux in the soup can mean the difference between enjoying that dish and finding an alternative. Customization also gives patients an element of choice. If you think about it from that perspective, many patients only have a few options when they’re in the hospital other than what the doctors and nurses tell them to do. Customized meals can give patients an element of self-control that can benefit their mental health.

How Can a Commercial Stove Support These Trends?

While a commercial stovetop will not cure anyone of a disease or speed up recovery times, it can be a valuable tool for the healthcare foodservice directors responsible for feeding patients. Like a scalpel or a surgery table, foodservice professionals also need equipment to perform their acts of wellness, and commercial stovetops are often one of those critical components. Whether providing high-quality meals or allowing operators to customize specific dishes, professional gas ranges from Southbend help deliver these capabilities and more.

Learn more about Southbend ranges and how they can impact hospital or healthcare foodservice operations.

 

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References:

National Library of Medicine

Topics: Healthcare, Product of the Month