HCWH Announces 2013 Award Winners

The Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Healthy Food in Health Care Program (HFHC) has announced the winners of its 2013 Healthy Food in Health Care Awards. The HFHC Awards Program recognizes excellence in sustainable food services at health care institutions across the country while the awards acknowledge significant achievement and leadership, seek to inspire competition to achieve measurable and lasting results and encourage continuous improvement in sustainable health care food service operations.

The categories and winners are as follows...

SUSTAINABLE FOOD PROCUREMENT AWARDS, which recognize facilities that promote health by providing sustainable food choices for patients, staff, and the community in their food purchasing decisions.
First Place: Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington, VT
Second Place: Overlake Hospital Medical Center, Bellevue, WA
Third Place: University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle

FOOD CLIMATE HEALTH CONNECTION AWARD, which recognize facilities that are taking significant steps toward reducing their climate footprint.
First Place: Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Palo Alto, CA
Second Place: Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles
Third Place: University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle

EXEMPLARY FOOD SERVICE PROFESSIONAL AWARD, which recognizes food service professionals for making the critical link between our industrialized food system and public health.
First Place: Holly S. Emmons of Union Hospital of Cecil County, Elkton, MD
Second Place: Jack Henderson of the University of California San Francisco Medical Center
Third Place: Richard Jarmusz of Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington, VT

CLINICAL ADVOCACY & ENGAGEMENT AWARD, which recognizes clinical health professionals for making the critical link between our industrialized food system and public health.
First Place : Judith Focareta, Med, RN, LCCE, Coordinator of Environmental Health Initiatives, Magee-Womens Hospital of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Second Place: Debbie Petitpain, MS, RD, LD, Bariatric Dietitian, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston
Third Place: Heather Fletcher, RD, Manager, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, ON

“The healthcare sector has an opportunity through purchasing, community education and policy advocacy to make a huge impact on the health and sustainability of our current food systems,” says Emma Sirois, co-coordinator of the HCWH Healthy Food in Health Care Program. “The winners of this year’s Healthy Food in Health Care awards inspire and challenge the sector to take full advantage of this opportunity, connecting healthy food environments and systems with their disease prevention and wellness missions.”

All facilities engaged in improving their food service in alignment with HFHC were encouraged to complete a Survey and Awards Application. Eligible health care facilities have signed the Healthy Food in Health Care Pledge OR otherwise met minimum eligibility criteria.

“We are honored to receive this prestigious award from Health Care without Harm that validates our efforts to promote optimal health, while also helping to protect the environment,” says Dr. David Feinberg, president of the UCLA Health System, whose Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center was presented with the Food-Climate-Health Connection Award. “Our nutrition team has been at the forefront in developing initiatives that encourage healthier food choices to purchasing sustainable foods to recycling and composting in our food service areas. This is part of our vision to support a healthier community.”

Fletcher Allen Health Care of Burlington, VT, was presented with both the Sustainable Food Procurement Award and the Exemplary Food Service Professional Award.

“We’re honored to receive these awards from Health Care Without Harm, which along with other great partners in Vermont and beyond has helped us create a model food service program that supports our missions to provide the highest quality of care and to be responsible stewards of the environment,” says President/CEO John Brumsted, M.D. “Transforming our program has been an exciting and rewarding journey, and this recognition will serve to encourage our efforts to assist other institutions that want to follow the same path.”

Entrants accumulate points in the following categories, with the awards going to the facilities and individuals with the highest point score.