When you think of foodservice in a hospital, you might visualize meals delivered on trays to patient rooms, but a 2013 healthcare census reported that 59 percent of hospitals serve more retail meals than patient meals, according to a blog on the Cambro website.

Over the past two years, 65 percent of hospitals reported an average of 19 percent increase in retail transactions.

“Hospitals are often the biggest restaurants in town,” said Diane Imrie, director of nutrition at Fletcher Allen Health Care.

“Only 20% of our 5,000 meals each day are served to patients. Our customers are mostly the doctors and staff that work here and don’t have time to leave the campus for meals.”

Keeping staff and visitors on-site not only maximizes the retail meal revenue, but also improves the staff work efficiency by eliminating quick, stressful off-site meals, the blog said.

Some tips:

• Update inventory

• Expand selection and rotate weekly menu

• Extend service hours

• Serve fresh foods

• Add comfort food choices

Read the blog.