If you aren’t frequently in or around hospitals, it’s hard to appreciate the provision of room service. As a patient, the freedom to look at a menu and select a favorite entrée, snack, or beverage is actually less common than one might assume. In a 2016 hospital census, over half of the hospitals surveyed did not offer a room service program in which patients select their desired offering from a varied menu. Most establishments would prefer to offer a room service program; it’s more hospitable, patients feel heard and considered, and it leads to higher patient satisfaction scores. However, the process of change concerning foodservice can also come with some big considerations.
Currently, 82% of establishments run into the same consideration: they’re self-operated. The process of allotting time and resources to figure out a new way to configure patient services seems costly, time-consuming, and new ideas for programs don’t always work. With such immediate roadblocks, it’s easy to shut down the idea of change. But we’ve found that with the right experienced team backing you, it can be a seamless and positive improvement.
For instance, one of our methods for a successful room service program is keeping costs low and quality high. We achieve this by avoiding pre-packaged novelties and instead source ingredients individually to create a variety of fresh, home-made entrées, soups, sauces, and dressings. After fresh ingredients are established, we compose a flexible menu featuring options that are both nutritious and delicious for patients to choose from. We keep our approach flexible and around house-made meals because it’s the right thing to do, especially for those who are in the process of healing.
Expanding on meal provision, our room service program provides knowledgeable individuals to aid patients in dietary selections. Often, patients experience the need for specialized diets, and at first, learning how to order based on dietary requirements can be an overwhelming task. With our hosts available to answer questions right when an order is taken, we ensure patients are served in a timely manner and with fresh items that they can enjoy. Over time, as a result of continual collaboration around diet, patients learn the basics of their specialized diets and are able to make informed decisions on their own.
If you are interested in how we partner with high quality vendors, passionate chefs, and managers to make a kitchen successful, or if you need to know more about taking your patient services to the next level, reach out to our team!
