GREENSBURG Kan.—The Kansas Hospital Education and Research Foundation has designated Kiowa County Memorial Hospital as one of the state’s first healthcare facilities to successfully put in place new policies to provide healthier food options in the hospital cafeteria and throughout the facility. Kiowa County Memorial Hospital adopted recommendations made by KHERF’s Healthy Kansas Hospitals initiative.
The initiative provides resources and technical assistance for healthcare facilities in Kansas to enhance the offerings of healthier foods and beverages in their cafeterias and through vending and catering practices.
KHERF, which was founded by the Kansas Hospital Association in 1969 to extend the association’s ability to provide projects in the areas of health care workforce, rural health, emergency preparedness and health professional education, commended the hospital for their efforts to offer appealing, low-cost, healthy food and beverage options throughout the hospital.
“As the primary source of health care in many communities, hospitals have the opportunity to influence the health decisions of not only their employees and patients, but also the general public by the food and beverage choices they offer,” said Josh Mosier, Healthy Kansas Hospitals Project Director.
The recent changes to food and beverage policies made by Kiowa County Memorial Hospital as part of their participation in the initiative include increasing the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as limiting the availability of fried food items and sugar-sweetened beverages.