Muhlenberg Community Hospital in Greenville has opened up made-to-order on-call dining services, making it the second area hospital to do so, but there are a few differences that set the new system apart.
On May 19, MCH began allowing patients to select items from a menu anytime between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Patients have their pick from several dishes that are made and brought to their rooms. The system is part of normal services for patients and doesn't cost extra.
Owensboro Medical Health System runs a similar system that is available only in certain units of the hospital as part of a phase-in program.
But MCH adds some spice to the mix. Using a custom-programmed system, patients' food intake is monitored, and restrictions can be placed based on their dietary needs.
"It gives them a sense of control over something they used to not have any control over," said Holly Graves, clinical nutrition manager at MCH, who programmed the dietary information.
Graves also said it tries to show patients what is right for them to eat, especially those with dietary restrictions. For example, a patient on a diabetic diet who tries to order the sugar-loaded chocolate cake won't be allowed to do so, because of restrictions placed by their doctor.
"It helps them do a little bit of dietary education," Groves said of the doctors. "It helps to reinforce (the need for proper nutrition)."
While the food is meant to be good for the patient, it's not the stereotypical hospital food, and the numbers show that the patients think so too. Whereas most patients would simply not eat the food or barely touch it, the majority of patients are cleaning their plates or nearly so. Tray waste, or food left behind to be thrown away, is the big indicator.
"We have been monitoring tray waste, and that's going down," Groves said. "Now it's pretty much all 75 (percent) and above" of the food being eaten.
The proof is in the pudding -- or whichever dishes are being prepared, said Mike Fine, the general manager of food and nutritional services. Fine is an employee of Sodexho Health Care Services, which is contracted with MCH.
"It's restaurant-style food delivered by a hotel-waiter service. It's made fresh right off the grill or out of the oven or however it's prepared," Fine said. "It's something they would cook at home."
Getting the new system in place took substantial work. First, the cafeteria's kitchen was renovated, which cost a little more than $100,000. Then staff members were retrained in the new system and new way of thinking and were turned loose to provide the service for the hospital's 135 beds.
"It was a little chaotic for the first few days. Of course, it was going to be a little crazy there," Fine said, adding that it's always improving. "Every week it's better. We learned a lot from other people's mistakes."
Getting the staff up to speed on the new system was probably the most difficult part, Fine said. As part of the new system, five more as-needed employees were hired to work the three shifts that the service runs.
"You have to include staff because it takes more staff for a service like this," Fine said, explaining that more staff has a specific benefit. "The whole concept behind this is speed. The more organized, the better."
Speed and efficiency help make it cost-effective. Another money-saver is the food itself. With better food being served, patients are less apt to throw it away.
"The money spent on upgrading (the kitchen) should be made back from the money saved," Groves said.
Groves and Fine said they hope to see the service continue to flourish and improve. It's a service that's already setting the hospital apart from other medical centers of its size, they said.
"MCH is all by itself as a stand-alone," Fine said. "Not many hospitals (that aren't part of a larger group) are running to do this."
But in the end, Groves said, it was a necessary move.
"This is definitely the wave of the future," Groves said. To see more of the Messenger-Inquirer, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.messenger-inquirer.com. Copyright (c) 2008, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
Copyright (C) 2008 Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.