Chick-fil-A partnership gives hospital bad rap

GREENVILLE, S.C. — The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has given Greenville Memorial Hospital a grade of 'D' because of its relationship with Chick-fil-A, which is one of its food vendors.

PCRM said it reviewed food options at more than 200 medical centers and found Greenville Memorial to be among the six worst public hospital food environments.

Greenville Health System said that while it agrees with the spirit of the report, the group's methodology is flawed.

And Chick-fil-A said it provides a variety of fresh-food options.

PCRM said Chick-fil-A's contracts compel "public hospitals to promote unhealthful food to patients, visitors and staff" that are tied to serious chronic diseases including heart disease and diabetes.

The contract with Greenville Memorial asks the hospital to "make every reasonable effort to increase the sales and business and maximize the Gross Receipts," according to the group, a nonprofit organization comprised of 12,000 doctors that promotes preventive medicine.

"Pushing fast-food burgers and greasy chicken sandwiches at the hospital can turn visitors and staff into patients, while undermining patients' efforts to heal," said PCRM's Cameron Wells. "Public hospitals should do all they can to end contracts that force them to promote unhealthful foods."

Dr. Angelo Sinopoli, chief medical officer for Greenville Health System, said GHS agrees with the spirit of PCRM's report, but he argued that its methodology is flawed because it doesn't take into account steps the hospital has taken to improve the health of employees, patients and the community.

"Some of these steps include offering 'Smart Selection' meals that contain no more than 500 calories or 15 grams of fat in our cafeterias, making healthy food options more visible and less expensive in our cafeterias and vending machines, and going tobacco free on all of our medical campuses," he said in a statement.