Similar to calling a restaurant for delivery or phoning in a hotel meal order, patients are experiencing a new a room service model at hospitals.
Atlanta's Emory University Hospital Midtown now offers "room service" dining, based on the idea that patients tend to eat better at the hospital when they select their own meals. Inpatients can call in orders, including special dietary modifications, from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and receive their meal within 45 minutes, delivered to their room by "hosts" and "hostesses."
Similarly, at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center and OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Illinois, patients can receive cooked-to-order food with a variety of foods to choose from in a hotel room service approach.
"The room service concept allows patients and their care teams to have more control over when meals are served," says Lynne Ometer, director of food and nutrition services.
Emory University Hospital Midtown Chief Operating Officer Dane Peterson added, "Patients are able to order what they want to eat, when they want to eat it. This leads to a higher level of patient satisfaction -- a benefit to the patients, their families and their care teams."
The room service model isn't tied only to patient satisfaction reasons; there may be medical practicality to it, as well.
"It gives patients the opportunity to time their meals similar to when they eat at home, which helps keep their medications on schedule. Patients can also schedule their meals around different tests and procedures, without missing meals or eating cold food when they return to their room," Ometer said.
The dining project cost Emory University Hospital Midtown $1.5 million, including kitchen renovations and 14 additional full-time equivalent employees.
Calling the room service model one focused "truly on patient-and family-centered care," Ometer said, "It is a win-win situation for everyone."
For more information:
- read the press release
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