41% of healthcare consumers care just as much about taste as health benefits,
wanting food that is equally tasty & nutritious
In the past, these were not among the words patients
used to describe their hospital dining experiences.
But today many of them do. What’s changed
between then & now?
Today, technology impacts every aspect of people’s modern lives. When they are in the hospital, they expect their lives to still be tech-centered.
Food preferences are rapidly changing toward wide-ranging options — healthier, sustainable, plant-centered, gluten-free — but patients also crave the comfort foods they grew up with. Patients expect the same options when they’re in the hospital.
Today’s hospitals are focused on patient satisfaction like never before because so much depends on their high-quality experiences — from reputation to reimbursements.
It means it’s time to leave the past behind and embrace the future of patient dining.
Consider these stats:
Review these topics to discover whether you’re on track to deliver excellent patient dining experiences or at risk of staying stuck in the past.
It used to be that patients had limited dining options. Today’s successful hospital dining programs offer patients a full-service restaurant approach where they can enjoy a vast selection of specialty food items that meet their dietary and personal preferences.
4 of 10 consumers are actively trying to incorporate more plant-based foods in their diets
13% of hospitals now offer locally sourced foods and 23% budget for local sourcing
Patient Experience Benefits — The full-service restaurant model of patient food service satisfies a patient's desire for flavorful, fresh meals. Because patients enjoy the food, it improves nutritional intake over traditional models. Plus, providing patients a range of dining options with clear notification of allergen and nutritional information greatly increases overall wellness and satisfaction and shortens lengths of stay.
Gone are the days of paper menus on which patients, with pencil in hand, would “check” their menu choices from a limited list of options. Today's innovative hospital dining programs employ technology enabled devices that deliver personalized meal selection.
The use of Interactive Patient Care Systems technology for in-room meal ordering gives patrons complete control over their meal ordering experience. Common feedback includes a sense of patron empowerment, which is a proven satisfier.
Patient Experience Benefits — Allowing patients to order their meals the way they are used to — via technology — provides a level of comfort and control that significantly elevates their satisfaction rating. Plus, on-demand ordering systems optimize meal freshness for patients and minimizes food waste.
It used to be that food was delivered to patients lukewarm. Today’s successful hospital dining
programs are using innovations that bring food to the patient's bedside properly heated and cooled, looking delicious and inviting.
Room service model of patient food delivery improves nutritional intake by 17%
Patient Experience Benefits — How food is delivered has a major impact on both its real and perceived quality. Poor food quality leads in one direction: low patient satisfaction scores. Conversely, when food quality is high, including correct food temperatures, patient satisfaction scores soar. That’s why more hospitals are moving to innovative meal delivery systems that enhance their ability to provide patients with high quality, upscale and impressive meals.
In the past, patients were rarely asked about their in-hospital dining experience. If they did comment, their opinions were barely registered. Today’s innovative hospital dining programs are proactive in asking patients for feedback on their dining experiences and in responding to the results.
96% of patient complaints are related to overall experience, not just medical care
— Advisory board
When patients feel heard, scores for nutritional services have risen by as much as 43 points
Patient Experience Benefits — When patients are asked about their satisfaction with dining, are listened to about their likes and dislikes, and immediate action is taken to correct what they don’t like, their overall experience improves. As a result, they are happy to give organizations higher scores.
Are you ready to put the old dining service ways behind you and move into today’s modern, tech-supported patient dining world where you can significantly boost patients’ experiences and satisfaction scores?
Contact Aramark today to learn more.
