MEMORIAL HOSPITAL COMMITS TO HEALTHIER EATING

MEMORIAL HOSPITAL COMMITS TO HEALTHIER EATING

Memorial Hospital in Abilene is pleased to announce that it is one of 70 Kansas hospitals that have pledged to promote healthier food and beverage choices for patients and employees.  The hospital is participating in the Healthy Kansas Hospitals initiative which is a project of the Kansas Hospital Education and Research Foundation (KHERF).

As a participant in the initiative, the Memorial Hospital Food and Nutritional Services Department has revamped patient menus to increase fruit and sugar-free selections, offer only low fat condiments, increase zero calorie soda options, and increase whole grain options.  Also, menus now allow patients to choose from three different entrees, starches, vegetables, and desserts for lunch and dinner instead of just two. Breakfast options for patients have increased to eggs cooked three ways, multiple cereals, plus two fruit and bread choices instead of just one. 

Matthew Schlagel, Memorial Hospital Dietary Manager, states, “So far we have introduced small changes that can make a difference over time.  These changes have allowed us to offer items which are acceptable to requirements of the many different diets of our patients. Our new patient menus have been well received.” 

Future plans include offering a healthy choice menu in the cafeteria for employees and visitors.  The hospital cafeteria currently lists nutritional information on the menu.  The plans are to offer a full meal that is 700 calories or less for a discounted price.  Schlagel comments, “Experience shows that healthy items are typically chosen last. We want to make the healthy choice the easy choice.” 

The Kansas Hospital Association founded KHERF in 1969 to extend the association’s ability to provide projects in the areas of health care workforce, rural health, emergency preparedness and health professional education. KHERF began the Healthy Kansas Hospitals initiative in 2013 as a way to help establish norms for healthier living in healthcare facilities.

According to Josh Mosier, KHERF Project Director for the Healthy Kansas Hospitals initiative, hospitals are the perfect place to start this project.  He states, “There are seventy-two million adults in the U.S. who are overweight or obese. Studies show that dietary risks are the number one cause of preventable mortality.  Hospitals set the example for good health in the community so we are working with hospitals to make healthy eating options the routine, easy choice for their patients and employees.”

There are 127 community hospitals in Kansas which represents 57,000 employees and 313,000 discharges per year.  Mosier adds, “If we can achieve long-lasting healthy eating choices in that many individuals each year, it will significantly impact the health of our communities.”  For more information on this initiative, visit www.HealthyKansasHospitals.org.

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