Healthcare foodservice professionals are facing the changing environment with creative solutions for containing costs; generating revenue; providing responsive, high-quality, patient-centered care and introducing wellness-focused initiatives, according to an article on the Food Service Equipment & Supplies website.

Healthcare foodservice was poised for a change regardless of what happened on the political landscape. Facilities were aging, baby boomers were entering a new stage of their lives and consumers were becoming more engaged in their own health.

While not a primary revenue generator for a healthcare facility, the importance of foodservice operations has never been greater, the article said.

According to the article, the trends facing the healthcare foodservice industry are:

• System consolidation

• Data Integration and synthesis

• Consolidation and Supply Management

• Patient service takes many forms

• Retail services multiply exponentially

• Food helps wellness initiatives grow and get healthier

• Lean, green and sustainable

• Resident-directed long-term care

• Finding new technologies

• Image enhancement

Read the article.