
For Your Dining Pleasure
Most of us would rather not spend time in a hospital bed, but more than likely at some point, many of us will find ourselves there.
St. Alexius Medical Center is just implementing an innovative new venture to make a patient’s stay more like a trip to a hotel. It’s called “Room Service Dining.” This new program stems from a national trend and St. Alexius designed its “Room Service Dining” after years of study.
“I started researching hospital-setting room service about 5 years ago,” says Marj Siems, the Director of Food and Nutrition Services. “I recognized the need for change here, so I felt it was worth looking into for St. Alexius. With reduced lengths of stay and very busy schedules for our hospitalized patients with treatments, tests and procedures, it seemed logical to have a system in place where patients could choose their meals at times that fit with their hospital schedule. It obviously would better serve our patients.”
Room Service Dining is a multi-year, million-dollar project that will make a patient’s stay much more enjoyable and even healthier. It is designed to give patients more control over what and when they eat during their hospital stay. It allows patients to order when hungry, after medication wears off, or right after tests or procedures. Increased food intake helps patients recover more quickly and fight infections. It is an excellent enhancement to patient care.
Unlike other so-called “Room Service” programs, St. Alexius’ program truly is as it says. The kitchen at St. Alexius was specially built to provide restaurant-style cooking. Patients are given a diet-appropriate menu by their nurse. Patients make their food selections and order them from our Food and Nutrition Order Center. There is a vast array of foods available in each diet, something to tempt every palate. Although the service is prompt, it is not “fast food.” Each meal is carefully prepared and cooked by our Food and Nutrition staff. The staff then immediately delivers it to the floor.
Comments within the first week of operation show a great start to the new program. The very first patient to receive “Room Service Dining” was impressed. “I think it’s a good idea because I’m a vegetarian and that way I could eat what I wanted,” said Jessica Bjerklie.
Those who work the patient floors are also excited about the new service. “Patients say it’s really user-friendly, the menus are easy to read, and the quality of food is excellent. I even had one lady say that it was better than restaurant food and she loved the friendliness of the people who delivered it to her,” says Ruth Schadler, CCNA in the Women’s Surgery Center. “Overall, I think it’s going to go really well when it’s in place.”
Tina McDonald, Clerk Aid in Maternity, also feels the same way. “The patients said it was very fast, and they were very surprised. It’s not hard to put in the order or to follow. I think it’s a great idea.”
The bottom line is that Room Service Dining will mean less waste, and the best food and service possible.
