Hospital to deliver hotel-style meals
A MULTI-MILLION dollar kitchen will be serving patients at St Vincent’s Private Hospital next week, one month ahead of schedule.
A Hutchinson Builders’ crew was yesterday putting the final touches on the $1.6 million kitchen that will serve more than 700 meals each day to the hospital’s patients.
The kitchen is notable because it allows patients to be served meals in a way that is similar to what hotel guests have come to expect through room service.
Patients will be able to order from a menu and decide on a delivery time.
Such flexibility means patients are able to eat their meals at convenient times instead of having food delivered while they are out having procedures or when they are wanting to rest.
“You’re basically ordering what you want, when you want it,” Paula McDonald, clinical projects manager for St Vincent’s explained.
“Traditionally, patients will order their meals nearly 24 hours ahead ... But this provides a larger range and empowers patients to make personal choices.”
The model, which is increasingly popular in the competitive private hospital market in the United States, also reduces food wastage.
The service was expected to be running within three months, said Leanne Kiepe, support service manager for the hospital.
While the new kitchen occupies a smaller space its predecessor, Mrs McDonald said the kitchen’s 17 staff were excited about the new facility because of how it had been planned with workflow in mind.
“They can’t wait. It was an old, tired kitchen and so it’s nice to be able to deliver something that works for their work flow and is nice and modern,” Mrs McDonald said.
Mrs Kiepe nods enthusiastically in agreement.
“The equipment’s the best quality you can get. We’ve gone with equipment and technology that should last. It’s exciting.”
Meals will soon be prepared before being ferried up elevators to patients. Staff will bustle at long stainless steel benches and deliveries will arrive at refrigeration units that have two-door access which means kitchen and delivery staff can work without getting in each other’s way.
Phone operators in several offices will field calls from patients who want to order meals.
The kitchen is part of St Vincent’s Hospital’s
$30 million upgrade that will add six state-of-the-art operating theatres and a day surgery unit.
The upgrade began in January and is due to be completed in December.