Dining On Call: Outcomes of a hospital patient dining model.

Dining On Call (DOC) is a hospital foodservice model allowing patients to order meals any time throughout the day and is delivered within 45 minutes of the order. It is positively correlated with patient satisfaction, improvements in malnutrition, and reducing costs. Pre- and post-DOC data were collected from BC Children's Hospital, BC Women's Hospital, and North York General Hospital (NYGH) using patient satisfaction surveys and tray waste audits to measure outcomes. Patient satisfaction scores increased at all hospitals. BC Children's and Women's hospitals demonstrated reductions in tray waste, food cost/meal/day, and labour cost/meal/day post-DOC. North York General Hospital observed decreases in tray waste; however, food cost/meal/day and labour cost/meal/day increased post-DOC. This research provides convincing evidence into the achievable benefits associated with DOC on mother and paediatric units in hospital settings. DOC may prove to be an effective dining model for hospitals seeking to improve patient outcomes and reduce overall costs.

Effect of a Protected Mealtime Pilot on Energy and Protein Intake in a Canadian Hospital.

Purpose: In Canada, approximately 45% of hospitalized patients are moderately or severely malnourished upon admission. The protected mealtime policy was designed to address malnutrition in institutions. This pilot study aimed to provide preliminary results examining the effect of this policy on patient energy and protein intake. Methods: A 1-group, pre-post observation design was conducted in a Canadian hospital. Pre- and post-observations included the frequency and type of interruptions, type of interrupter, and patient energy and protein intake at each meal. Results: The average number and length of interruptions decreased, and the average length of mealtime assistance provided to patients (n = 12) increased in the post-observation period. Energy and protein consumption showed a slight increase during the post-observation period. Conclusion: A protected mealtime policy may be an effective policy to address malnutrition among hospitalized Canadian adults. Further studies are warranted in Canada to determine the effects and feasibility of this policy implementation.

Dietary acculturation of Arab immigrants in the Greater Toronto Area.

PURPOSE: We explored the eating habits of Arab immigrants to determine whether they have maintained their traditional diet or have consumed a more Westernized diet since immigrating to Canada. METHODS: Arab immigrants who had been in Canada for at least eight years and were currently living in the Greater Toronto Area were recruited. A sample of 24 Arab immigrants completed a mailed, self-administered questionnaire, and six participated in a focus group. The focus group discussion was transcribed verbatim and results were recorded. Latent content analysis was used to analyze, code, and categorize emerging themes. RESULTS: Arab immigrants consumed a mixture of both Arabic and Western food and perceived their current diet to be healthier than it was before they immigrated to Canada. Factors that influenced their food choices included increased nutrition health awareness, differences in food preferences and preparation methods, and preservation of dietary practices in the new environment. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings will help dietitians who work with Arab immigrants to become more aware of factors that motivate this group's food choices, and to create nutrition programs that are more culturally sensitive.