Healthy Kansas Hospital Initiative
Launch the media gallery 1 playerGirard Medical Center GMC) is pleased to announce that they are one of 5 hospitals to have made changes under Healthy Kansas Hospitals and one of 66 facilities to have signed the pledge to establishing a healthier workplace. GMC has recently adopted a new policy which states they provide healthier food options in the hospital cafeteria and throughout the facility. 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.
Girard Medical Center has the opportunity to influence the health decisions of not only employees and patients, but the entire community of Girard by the food and beverage choices offered. The new changes to Girard’s Health Hospital Policy include increasing the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables, eliminating all fried foods, adding healthier items to snack options sold from the cafeteria, offering a daily healthy entrée and using pricing and placement strategies to make healthy products more attractive.
“It is important that we are active in setting the example for Crawford County by providing the healthiest choices possible,” said Registered Dietitian Peggy Kramer. “Not only is offering more healthy foods a better service to patients, it also represents better health for the community.”
More than 200 health care professionals who are employed by Girard Medical Center 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 in our service area,” said CEO Michael Payne.
The Healthy Kansas Hospitals initiative is a project of the Kansas Hospital Education and Research Foundation. Established in 1969, by the Kansas Hospital Association, KHERF’s mission is to facilitate collaboration and innovation to improve health delivery for Kansas communities. KHERF leverages grants and other funding to support projects, serving in a leadership role, as a partner in developing projects or simply serves as an administrator for grants and sub-contracts that are consistent with KHERF’s vision and values.
The Kansas Hospital Association is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. KHA membership includes 217 member facilities, of which 128 are full-service community hospitals. Founded in 1910, KHA maintains its vision of “an organization of hospitals working together to improve access, quality and the affordability of health care for all Kansans.” For more information, visit HealthyKansasHospitals.org.