Research on health initiatives in place at UMMC
University of Mississippi Medical Center dining options and menus were revamped in 2018, as Morrison, UMMC’s healthcare food provider, began an initiative with the Department of Preventive Medicine through their Everyday Wellness program. The combination of providing healthy and unhealthy food gives people choices, and the presence of their superfood education allows people to be more likely choose the healthier option. The purpose of the Everyday Wellness program is not to force people to eat healthy, but give them the educational resources to decide what they want to eat. When walking down the food line, one can read the caloric value of each food item. The cafeteria features “FIT” meals on TVs standing above the food lines, illustrating a healthy meal containing an entree and sides that can be ordered that day. One FIT meal featured a turkey burger, choice of fruit and a beverage, causing turkey burger sales to rise by 200%. Candy, desserts and processed snacks are not longer offered at the register, they must be displayed at least five feet away from the register as part of Morrison’s Mindful Choices initiative.
Information from https://www.umc.edu/news/News_Articles/2018/02/revamped-menu,-mindful-choices-give-cafeteria-patrons-healthy-options.html
"People want options. If there’s a day where they want a cheeseburger, then they can get a cheeseburger,” Brea Cole, manager of the medically integrated wellness program for Preventive Medicine said. “People want to be able to make the choice.”
This approach contrasts with Stony Brook University Hospital's methodology on how their food is distributed. Patients and guests at UMMC are allowed to make their own choice when ordering food, and have the freedom to digest the FIT meal idea or snacks from the superfood of the month. Although food options for guests are diverse at Stony Brook as well, some of the sickest patients at Stony Brook are not given many options due to the fact that"...many are on restricted diets that have to be computer-coded for compliance with dietary standards" (Hartocollis, 2012). This is taken seriously as patients are warned that the request for the meal they ordered may be denied by the room service associate.
At Stony Brook, the staff is well aware of the power of comfort food. When commenting on the feedback from the "farm to bedside" approach at Stony Brook, director of nutritional division, Josephine Connolly-Schoonen said, "Swiss chard went over well, kale maybe not so much. When people are not feeling well, they want their comfort foods"(Hartocollis, 2012). The satisfaction of a patient or guest is dependent on their personal food preferences and what they desire in times of distress and healing.
Work Cited
Hartocollis, A. (2012, October 19). Challenging the Reputation of Hospital Food on a Rooftop Farm. New York Times, p. A27(L). Retrieved from https://link-gale-com.oca.ucsc.edu/apps/doc/A305693326/CWI?u=ucsantacruz&sid=CWI&xid=234c5be1
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