UNT professor aids in improving hospital food

One of the most frequent and consistent complaints patients have about hospitals is the food. But, in searching for answers, hospital administrators say it's hard to figure out what patients want without disrupting patient care.

Seeking its own solutions, Denton Community Hospital recently asked nutritionist Priscilla Connors, UNT assistant professor of merchandising and hospitality management, to help it solve this problem.

By observing patients' returned plates over a seven-day period, Connors drew a picture of what patients liked or disliked. She observed 383 trays from both lunch and dinner, making sure that the results for different foods weren't affected by either temperature or preparation method. Using a visual measurement technique, Connors was able to take an objective poll of patients' food choices and make recommendations that improved kitchen efficiency and patient satisfaction.

After using the visual study to rank the foods, she consulted hospital staff, the dietitian and the kitchen manager about the foods that fell to the bottom of the list.

Connors found that patients preferred local favorites and easy-to-eat foods, such as hamburgers and chicken fingers, over items that required cutting, like pot roast and Salisbury steak. She also found that patients didn't like their vegetables — especially spinach. Connors worked with the chief clinical dietitian to find new ways to include them in meals.

After implementing Connors' suggested changes, DCH saw a considerable increase in patient satisfaction and a decrease in complaints about the food.

A direct benefit of this approach was that Connors could discretely and quickly conduct a survey of patient food preferences without disturbing the day-to-day operations of the hospital. She says the process is easy to implement and generates a lot of information in a very short period of time.

Since auditing the meals at DCH, Connors plans to perform a similar survey in another area hospital in the coming months.

BY RUFUS COLEMAN rcoleman@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• Coordinating board approves UNT College of Engineering
• Arts patrons give UNT College of Music $1.2 million gift
• Rogers' Story of North Texas updated
• MIT dean to speak at TAMS commencement
• Faculty Senate approves proposal about undergraduate admissions policy
• UNT faculty members offer seminars to local teachers
• Elm Fork Explorer's Camp planned this summer
• Springtime in Texas means keeping an eye on the sky

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