Fletcher-Allen Big Winner in HCWH Awards Program

Fletcher Allen Health Care of Burlington, VT, won first place in both the Sustainable Procurement and the Public Policy and Advocacy categories in the Annual Sustainable Food Awards competition held by the Health Care Without Harm Healthy Food in Health Care Program. The awards recognize significant achievement as well as leadership in health care food service and are intended to spur competition to achieve measurable, lasting results; to encourage continuous improvement, with an emphasis on quantitative versus qualitative results; and to increase benchmarking progress in sustainable operations in health care food service. The awards will be presented at the 2011 FoodMed conference in Seattle October 18-19.

The winners in the various categories are as follows...

Sustainable Food Procurement Award

1st Place: Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington, VT

2nd Place: United General Hospital, Sedro Woolley, WA

3rd Place: John Muir Medical Center, Concord, CA

Public Policy/Advocacy Award

1st Place: Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington, VT

2nd Place: Sparrow Hospital, Lansing, MI

3rd Place: Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR

Food Cimate Health Connection Award (recognizes facilities that are taking significant steps toward reducing their climate footprint)

1st Place: Carroll Hospital, Westminster, MD

2nd Place: John Muir Medical Center, Concord, CA

3rd Place: Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR

Clinical Engagement Award (recognizes clinical health professionals who make the critical link between our industrialized food system and public health; the award encourages innovative program development and educational outreach)

1st Place: Lisa McDowell, St. Joseph Mercy Health System, Ann Arbor, MI

2nd Place: Tim Goltz, MD, Lincoln County Healthcare, Damariscotta, ME

3rd Place: Amy Collins, MD, MetroWest Medical Center, Framingham and Natick, MA

"We are so pleased to launch this inaugural round of Sustainable Food awards, with the winners representing eight states and 10 health care facilities," says Health Care Without Harm Founder/President Gary Cohen. "These awards are a new important way to recognize the advances and innovation in hospital food service, which are taking place in facilities all over the country."

The facilities eligible for the awards have taken the HCWH Healthy Food in Health Care Pledge or met minimum eligibility requirements, and completed the HFHC Survey, from which facilities and individuals who meet the individual award criteria are chosen.

"We're honored to receive this award from Health Care without Harm, which along with other great partners in Vermont and beyond has helped us create a model food service that supports our mission to provide the highest quality of care and to be responsible stewards of the environment," says Diane Imrie, director of nutrition services at Fletcher Allen. "Transforming our program has been an exciting and rewarding journey for Fletcher Allen, and this recognition will serve to encourage our efforts to assist other institutions that want to follow the same path."

HCWH is an international coalition of more than 430 organizations in 52 countries, working to transform the health care industry worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. For more information, go to www.noharm.org.

HCWH's Healthy Food in Health Care Program works with hospitals across the country to help improve the sustainability of their food services. Founded in 2005, the program provides education, tools, resources, and support to health care facilities making the connection between the health of their patients, staff and community and the food they serve.

Ultimately the program works to support hospitals in leveraging their purchasing power and health expert status to promote a healthier food system. To learn more about HCWH's Healthy Food in Health Care Program go to www.healthyfoodinhealthcare.org.