"In our small rural hospital, improving quality of food served by resuming in-house cooking has had noticeably improved staff and patient morale.” — Dr Caroline Walker, MSA President & Chief of Staff
(Photo: Shelly Crack​​​​​k. A Haida elder is involved with the food gathering and preparation for the hospital food program.)

Connecting patients with local culture

Northern Haida Gwaii Hospital's shift from a regional food supply to preparing and sourcing traditional Haida foods locally has resulted in happier patients and cost savings.

Engaging local Haida food providers and Northern Health

Local and traditional Haida foods such as wild berries, greens and fish were incorporated into the menu. Arrangements were made with local fishers in the area to catch salmon and halibut to be processed by local plants. On-site hospital food preparation was restored.

The project team engaged the health authority's regional diet office to align and coordinate the food service transition with Northern Health guidelines and processes.

Better food quality, cost savings, happier patients

As the quality of the food increased, patient satisfaction improved, and food costs were reduced by approximately 20 per cent – all without increasing staff levels.

The project has helped to influence a broader effort that continues to integrate local and traditional foods into other areas of the community, and to build capacity for a local, sustainable food system.
 

LEARN MORE: Go to full article  |   Also: Local Food as Medicine