Supporting patients on the road to health doesn’t end after a procedure or pharmacy visit; teaching healthy lifestyle choices is just as vital. With public health concerns like obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease so prevalent in the Philadelphia community, PPMC staff are working hard to educate patients and their families on healthy dietary choices and to provide dining options that mirror those lessons — all without compromising flavor.
The Good Food, Healthy Hospitals initiative (GFHH) is a collaborative effort led by Get Healthy Philly, the American Heart Association, and The Common Market that aims to promote healthy eating, increase access to sustainable, locally sourced food, and to help hospitals create model environments that support the well-being of patients and staff alike. With the support of UPHS CEO Ralph Muller and the Wellfocused team, Penn Medicine has launched system-wide changes to meet these voluntary GFHH guidelines.
“Our team understands the importance of food in the treatment of illness, and we’re passionate about preparing dishes that excite the senses and restore the body,” said Food Services manager Rob Canney. “Our chefs are charged to deliver flavor, and we work hard to develop new recipes that utilize fresh, locally sourced ingredients and enrich the bodies of our patients and guests.”
In addition to participating in the health system’s “Rethink Your Drink” campaign by reducing (and ending, by summer 2019) the sale of sugar-sweetened beverages, PPMC has taken additional steps to make healthy eating both easy and tasty. For example, Canney and his team have responded to requests for variety by introducing a rotating station to the Atwood Café. These “pop up” brands change bi-monthly and have already increased overall traffic. Be sure to enjoy the nutritious and delicious options from Take a Bao, the Butcher’s Block, and Iron City Pizza through the end of January!
As a result of these changes and more, PPMC is proud to announce that the hospital recently earned Bronze status from the GFHH — an exciting and impressive development given that Penn only made its pledge earlier this year! Congratulations to the Food Services team for earning GFHH recognition, and keep up the good work as you “go for the gold” and provide healthier options to our staff and the patients and families we serve.