“Our focus is not only providing exceptional care, but exceptional service,” Pete Gemmer, marketing director for Mercy Health, said. “I think this is part of that.”
He said many of Mercy’s hospitals have been working to upgrade both their cafeteria and food selection to make patients and employees happier and healthier.
“The focus is definitely moving toward keeping the patients happy and accommodating their needs,” Chip Voorhees, director of the dietary department said about the renovations.
Voorhees said the renovations to the Clermont County cafeteria began just before Thanksgiving in 2011 and were complete just before Christmas.
The $200,000 upgrade included new flooring, wall treatments, new tabletops and chairs and also created additional space to accommodate another serving station.
“I love it,” Voorhees said about the renovations. “It gives us a better opportunity to serve customers, patients and employees.”
He said patients are provided menus before every meal that include dozens of selections, from vegetable baked ziti to a pulled pork sandwich. In addition, healthy options are available every day and patients can select from additional items to meet their needs.
“We’re really focusing on making them happy,” Voorhees said. “It gives them more choices and variety.”
In addition, for family members of patients, as well as employees, the cafeteria provides a place to take a break. And now that the renovations are complete, the atmosphere resembles a cafe, rather than a hospital cafeteria.
The cafeteria also features both self-serve and cooked-to-order stations, wellness certified selections, and now a Chef’s Choice station, which Voorhees likened to a cooking show, where customers can watch the chef prepare pasta, stir fries and more.
The food service and quality of food draws residents and employees from throughout the area to the hospital for lunch and dinner.
“We get a lot of people from the firehouse and office buildings across the way,” Voorhees said. “People are here every day, every week.”
He said it is hard to beat the fresh food, most of which is prepared from scratch, as well as the low price. Sandwiches are around $4 with sides and hot meals cost around $5 with sides.
Already, Mercy Health-Clermont Hospital scored in the top five percent for food quality among hospitals in the United States. Gemmer said the survey was completed by Press Ganey and patients were surveyed at 2,000 hospitals across the country.
He said both patients and employees appreciate the food services offered and the modern and functional improvements that have been made.
“I think other hospitals are moving that way, but I think Mercy has been ahead of the curve on this,” Gemmer said.