Hospital moves to fresh, cooked-to-order meals

When it comes to hospital food, meal timegenerally has a bad reputation.

But it's hoped that willchange next year at the Halifax Infirmary site of theQEll Health Sciences Centre.

The hospitalis introducing restaurant-stylemealsthat will be ordered,freshly prepared and delivered to patients in their rooms.

"We are in the process of switching over our method of preparation and delivery of food to room-service dining," said Marilyn Cipak, director of nutrition and food services for theNova Scotia Health Authority'scentral zone.

"Our staff will go in and take the order at bedside and the food will be prepared fresh and ready to go in small kitchens on the unit."

That's a major shift in the large-scale kitchen that serves the entire hospital.

Scheduled to be up and running sometime in the spring, the new food delivery program will offer dozens of healthy food choices.

Patientscurrently have to choose their meals a day or two in advance, butthe new system will allow for more flexibility.

"Currently patients might be at a test or other services within the hospital and we would deliver their meals and they aren't even in their room," said Cipak.

"When they come back their food is cold, so they may not eat. Patients not eating is a problem."

Hospital staff will take food orders from patients and have their meals ready for them in 45 minutes or less.

The new kitchen units will be installed over the winter.

The switch is being made after results from a 2014 study by the Canadian Malnutrition Task Force showed nearly half of Canadian patients entering andleaving hospitalwere malnourished.

"Food is medicine and food does help us heal and recover faster," said Cipak.

"That's why we want this process in place, so patients will get the food fresh and they will get to eat what they want."

Cipak saidthe new dining model will also mean a drastic reduction in food waste at the hospital. She says 35 to 40 per centof hospital food is not eaten by patients.