The California-based health system Kaiser Permanente launched a farmers market at its Oakland hospital in 2003. The system now has markets at 31 medical sites.
Earth-Friendly Service
Hospitals have also begun using food practices that are friendlier to the environment.
Catholic Healthcare West grows its own produce onsite at its Santa Cruz, Calif., hospital. Fletcher Allen Health Care in Vermont and others compost food waste on site. A few have switched to fully biodegradable sugarcane-based containers instead of Styrofoam. Room service-style food is becoming prevalent for patients, which improves patient satisfaction and reduces waste.
Coffee is organic fair trade, meat is antibiotic-free and milk is free of added hormones at a number of facilities.
Some hospitals are even cracking down on the fattening treats at coffee carts and vending machines.
"It is important that we recognize the connection between a healthy earth and healthy human beings," said Sr. Mary Ellen Leciejewski, ecology program coordinator for Catholic Healthcare West in Santa Cruz. "If we don't have a healthy planet, we won't have healthy human beings."
The efforts are earning good feedback from staff and patients, such as those who schedule their appointments around farmers markets.
"You can't beat the taste," said Julie Yochim, 50, a nurse at Kaiser Permanente in Portland as she visited a farmers market across the street that the medical center worked with the community to develop.
Retail sales at Oregon Health and Science University's hospital have more than doubled in the past three or four years since making a number of major changes, including adding vegan options, said Steven Hiatt, director of food and nutrition services.
This is good news for hospital budgets, because the majority of the food used is for visitors or workers, rather than patients.
