IRON MOUNTAIN -- It is said that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Dickinson County Memorial Hospital believes that same saying could be applied to their patients and that good health can be harnessed by good food.
“The traditional hospital food is something that we don't want anymore,” explains Lynne Gussert, Manager of Materials Management and Food and Nutritional Services.
The hospital has switched to room service dining, allowing patients to order right off of a menu, seven days a week.
Dietary clerks take the patient's order in their room, place the order with a tablet device, and then it prints out in the kitchen. Then the cooks prepare and deliver the meal in less than 45 minutes.
Hospital staff says 40 percent of hospitals nationwide have implemented this type of food service and after making the switch, now they know why.
“Patients are very happy,” explains dietary supervisor Karen Kollmann. “They like to be able to pick what they want, when they want. Some patients don't want to go home because they haven't been able to try the whole menu yet!”
The hospital says since they've made the change in August, patient satisfaction scores have skyrocketed to the high 90th percentile for food quality.
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