St. Francis Health Center recently received national recognition for its room service program, the only Topeka-area hospital to offer the service, garnering the highest rating possible on patient satisfaction surveys.
Avatar International Inc., a company that administers surveys of patients, employees and physicians in the health care industry, presented the Avatar Innovation Award to Angie Hemsath, director of Food and Nutrition at St. Francis, at Avatar’s annual conference in Orlando, Fla.
Avatar grants innovation awards to hospitals that display creativity in launching programs resulting in high patient satisfaction scores. St. Francis implemented the room service program on Nov. 15, 2006. Patients can order meals from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and breakfast selections are available all day. Each meal is prepared to order and delivered by a St. Francis host within 45 minutes.
Guests of patients can also order room service and pay with a credit card in the patient’s room. Patients requiring dietary restrictions are given menus specific to their conditions that offer multiple options as well.
“Patients appreciate being able to decide when and what they will eat while they are in our Health Center,” Hemsath said. “They’re receiving care under circumstances beyond their control so being able to have breakfast in the middle of the afternoon or an entrée made with their preferences in mind can provide additional comfort. And it’s convenient for family members who want to eat with their loved one because their food arrives at the same time.”