Hospitals pledge to serve healthier, more sustainable foods

Hospitals nationwide are making strides to serve healthier, more sustainable foods — with a sometimes unexpected benefit to the bottom line.

By Healthcare Facilities Today


With CleanMed 2013 having wrapped up last week in Boston, and spring farmers markets in full swing throughout most of the country, now seems like a good time to discuss the strides being made in hospitals nationwide to serve healthier foods — and the sometimes unexpected benefit to the bottom line. 

A recent column in Hospitals & Health Networks says no fewer than 431 U.S. hospitals have signed Health Care Without Harm's Healthy Food in Health Care pledge

According to Heath Care Without Harm, “taking the pledge to support procurement of local, nutritious, sustainably produced food demonstrates a commitment to ‘first, do no harm’ as part of a whole hospital approach to preventive medicine that protects the health of patients, staff and communities.”

The hospitals that have taken this pledge have seen the changes they made impact their communities in a variety of ways. For example, according to the article, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center participates in Healthy Food in Health Care's Healthy Beverage Program. The program bans any canned, bottled or fountain beverage that's sweetened with sugar or an artificial substitute. 

Since the sugar ban went into effect, Dartmouth-Hitchcock calculates more than 4.7 million calories have been eliminated from the diets of patients, staffers and visitors, which means almost 1,400 pounds of body weight have been avoided, the article says. 

And the benefits don’t end with improved health. According to the article, changing how a hospital purchases food (sourcing locally) and what kinds of foods are purchased (fewer red meats, more vegetables) can also mean a cost savings for hospital food service. A notable consideration, when U.S. healthcare institutions collectively spend approximately $12 billion annually on food and beverages.

Read the entire article. 

 



May 1, 2013


Topic Area: Sustainable Operations


Recent Posts

How Backup Power Needs Vary Across Healthcare Settings

Manufacturers discuss how evolving codes, technologies and care settings shape healthcare backup power strategies.


Flexible Design Strategies Help OhioHealth Maximize Clinical Space

Doing more with less was key to the renovated facility’s design.


New Bass Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases Opens

The new space not only offers more exam rooms but also features 15 private infusion bays to allow privacy for all patients and their caregivers during treatment.


Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Daytona Beach Opens

Hospital amenities include all private patient rooms, a spacious therapy gym featuring advanced rehabilitation technologies, an activities of daily living suite and more.


What Healthcare Facilities Can Learn from a $49 Million Window Failure

A major window system failure at the University of Iowa’s Children’s Hospital sparked a costly replacement project – and a $49.4 million arbitration win.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.