Alberta Children’s Hospital updates patient menu with app ordering

Patients at the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary can now select meals from a expanded menu featuring roughly 20 options through an app-based ordering system, ici.radio-canada.ca reported. The update replaces a previous system that limited children to a choice of just two meals.

App Adapts Menus to Individual Dietary Restrictions

The digital ordering platform allows young patients and their parents to place meal selections directly from an application. The software automatically adapts the menu to accommodate individual dietary restrictions. Kat Reichel, the mother of a patient, stated that having multiple choices helps children feel independent. It is good that they have a choice, she said.

Former Patient Helps Diversify Menu Options

Audrilyn Gunaratnam, an adolescent and former patient at the facility, participated in the development of the new menu selections. We wanted the menu to be more diversified and for there to be options adapted to several cultures, Gunaratnam explained. Michelle Nelson, director of nutrition services at the hospital, noted that the offerings were built around what children actually wanted. They did not just request fast food, though chicken nuggets, pizza, and hamburgers remain available alongside items like salmon and butter chicken. Nutritionists reviewed the menu to ensure the dishes provide the necessary nutrients for recovery.

Trial Shows Less Food Waste and Higher Satisfaction

During the initial trial phase, the hospital observed a decrease in food waste alongside a sharp rise in patient satisfaction regarding the meals. Feedback from patients proved crucial in ensuring the food served was appropriate, according to Nelson. The ordering option is already active at the Arthur J.E. Child Cancer Care Centre and is scheduled to launch at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton shortly.