Making food irresistible at Toronto’s Hospital for sick children with Heat on Demand Ultra®

Aladdin Temp-rite implements an innovative room service program.

Anyone who has children knows what finicky eaters they can be. At Toronto‘s Hospital for Sick Children, in the past, mealtimes had been a challenge. The foodservice department outsourced and re-generated foods. The lack of flexibility in the menus meant that often double trays were ordered to get the foods the patient actually wanted. The result: extra costs and waste and only an average level of customer satisfaction.

The decision to go to a room service system was logical. “We knew if children had more of a choice of what they ate and when they ate, ultimately they would eat better”, says Tracy Maccarone, Director of Food & Nutrition Services. 
For a hospital rated as one of the world’s best institutions, the average rating the foodservice received was just not good enough. Aladdin Temp-rite had the perfect solution with the Heat on Demand Ultra system®.

The Hospital ran a trial run of a new made-to-order room service system, with two different meal delivery products: Heat on Demand and a heated delivery cart. The food was served to the Children’s Council as well as the Room Service Committee, made up of management, clinical dieticians, nursing occupational therapists, housekeeping and nursing patient service assistants. Everyone, each for a different reason, chose Heat on Demand Ultra. They tested the total caloric, energy, protein and micro-nutrient intakes increased significantly. When the children’s appetites and eating habits also improved, they knew they had the winning solution.

HOW THE MEAL TRAIN WORKS

The Heat on Demand^® Ultra™ activator was installed. Meal assembly is fast and efficient. The Heat on Demand induction base is charged for 12 seconds and is placed beneath the plated meal, which is covered with an insulated Aladdin Allure dome.  The meals are then placed on the Meal Train delivery carts and delivered to the floors.

“We are now approaching the 90th percentile in our category, with the biggest improvement in customer satisfaction,” confirmed Tracy Maccarone. “Of course, it’s the children and their parents who really love our room service”.

Happy patients, happy parents, happy employees and better patient satisfaction scores: all with Aladdin Temp-rite, Heat on Demand Ultra.

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