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Hays, Kansas (April 13, 2016)  HaysMed  is pleased to announce that they are one of 78 hospitals in Kansas that have signed the Healthy Kansas Hospital’s pledge to examine their current food and beverage practices.  They are also one of 25 hospitals that have adopted a formal policy aimed at improving their food and beverage environments

The new policy provides for healthier food options in the hospital cafeteria and throughout the facility and includes the following practices:  healthy entrée options will be offered daily, nutritional facts will be posted for cafeteria menu items, the food budget will included at least 10 percent fresh fruits and vegetables, drinking water will be offered at no charge at all meal times in the cafeteria, no energy drinks will be sold, no foods will be deep fat fried, catering for internal meeting will contain healthy snack and beverage options, 70% of beverages sold will not contain added sugars, snacks sold in the cafeteria will include fresh fruits and packaged snacks containing zero grams of processed trans-fat and pricing and placement strategies will be used to make health products more attractive for consumers.

This enhanced access to healthy food aims to positively impact hospital employees, patients and visitors, while also helping to establish norms for healthier living for the community.

“It is important that HaysMed is active in setting the example by providing the healthiest choices possible,” said John Fitzthum, Food Services Manager at HaysMed.  “Not only is offering more healthy foods a better service to patients, it also represents better health for the community.”

More than 1400 health care professionals who are employed by HaysMed who seek dining options on the hospital campus will benefit from these changes. “It is our hope that these changes will have a long-term positive impact on the health of those who seek medical care at HaysMed.” said Fitzthum.

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