Foodservice Equipment & Supplies

JUN 2016

Foodservice Equipment & Supplies magazines is an industry resource connecting foodservice operators, equipment and supplies manufacturers and dealers, and facility design consultants.

Issue link: http://fesmag.epubxp.com/i/682920

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 9 of 99

Joseph M. Carbonara, Editorial Director 8 • FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES • JUNE 2016 editor's perspective Rolling with the Changes A sk healthcare foodservice professionals about some of the challenges that keep them up at night and they will try to tell you their businesses are much like other industry segments. And, in a sense, they are right. Like other operators, healthcare foodservice operators continue to look for ways to harness the impact of customer- facing technology, source more local and seasonal ingredients and provide transpar- ency when it comes to menu development. In addition, like their peers from other industries, healthcare foodservice opera- tors continue to look for innovative ways to deal with rising costs, specifcally labor. But in many respects, that's where the similarities end. You see, many health- care foodservice providers are now being charged with shaping the conversation on what steps consumers should take to lead more healthful lifestyles in general. This leads healthcare foodservice operators down a series of unique paths. For exam- ple, many healthcare foodservice provid- ers now interact with patients once they have been discharged, with the intent of lowering recidivism. That's because proper nutrition, particularly after a hospital stay, can help reduce the likelihood of a patient boomeranging back to the hospital, which is a win for everyone involved. And many healthcare foodservice operators now operate on-site gardens. In doing so, they engage and educate em- ployees, patients and other members of the community about the benefts of healthy eating, while exposing these individuals to farm-fresh produce. If you are lucky enough to visit the farm at a place like Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center (page 32), you might actually get to take a bag of fresh veggies home with you. All of this takes place in a pretty dynamic setting. Consolidation remains a popular trend among many of the top healthcare systems. While these mergers may offer some benefts, from a healthcare perspec- tive, they pose some foodservice-related challenges. For example, one system may use a contract foodservice provider, while the other may be self-operated. Or, how the parent company views foodservice may dif- fer from one organization to the next. The net result is that the foodservice operators need to learn how to work together mov- ing forward without compromising food quality or service. This is no small task and it represents one of countless, complex challenges healthcare foodservice opera- tors must face. The good news, though, is that healthcare foodservice operators remain an innovative and resourceful lot. They network to share best practices, solutions to common chal- lenges and much more. And in this issue we celebrate that resiliency. From the front of the magazine to the back you will fnd plenty of healthcare foodservice coverage. And we thank those operators and consultants who took time from their days to share their stories with us. We think the net result is a mosaic of information, inspiration and much more that will beneft all members of the foodservice community. Consolidation remains a popular trend among many of the top healthcare systems.

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Foodservice Equipment & Supplies - JUN 2016