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Doctors know that fresh vegetables are better for patients, so why not serve patients what the doctor recommends?
St. Luke’s Hospital has been doing just that since 2014 when they changed the way Hospitals provide for their patients by incorporating an organic farm within their hospital development plan. Going the extra mile St. Luke’s is actually serving their patients the diet they recommend, fresh organics foods.
What does a farm hospital look like? How about land on the hospital campus with rows of fresh spinach to make salads for their patients, and delicious organic sweet potatoes?
The hospital works with the Rodale Institute to keep the organic farm in motion while harvesting over 44,000 pounds of food for patients, employees and visitors over six network hospitals in the area.
What does that mean for health care standards?
Nutrition is being looked at more closely for all health providers, and looking toward making eating healthier, the easier choice. This is good news, as Latinos face chronic disease at higher rates, and many live in food deserts, where options for fresh veggies and fruits is rare.
Bonnie Coyle, St. Luke’s community health medical director stated in a news article, “A predominately plant-based diet … is an extremely powerful medicine — sometimes better than the medicine we get put on.”
So how can other farms be put onto hospital land?
St. Luke’s plans to use research about the financial benefits of the farm to encourage other companies and hospitals to consider on-site organic farms. They believe they will break even in 2016 for the farm on their over 500 acres of land.
To learn more about this story, click here for the full article.
By The Numbers
1
Supermarket
for every Latino neighborhood, compared to 3 for every non-Latino neighborhood
