Tampa General Hospital has become the first medical facility in the United States to sign the "Make Hospital Food Healthier" pledge, a White House initiative aimed at improving the nutritional quality of patient meals.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. praised the hospital's commitment during a news conference Thursday, stating that it provides a "template" for other institutions across the nation.
The 1,000-bed hospital partnered with celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian last year to reformulate its menu based on the "food is medicine" concept. The revamped menu focuses on items high in nutrition that can aid in preventing, managing, and treating illness.
"We were giving them stuff that is going to aggravate and amplify their chronic illness," Kennedy said, criticizing the traditional offerings in many hospitals. "We doubled down on the quality of the food."
According to hospital officials, the menu changes resulted in a 53% increase in perceived food quality and led to more patients finishing their meals. Tampa General Hospital CEO John Couris noted that the increased food purchasing expenses were around 5% to 7%, which the hospital was able to absorb.
The "Make Hospital Food Healthier" pledge, launched by HHS and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), encourages hospitals to limit processed foods and added sugars. This initiative is part of a broader effort to ensure patients recovering from illnesses receive optimal nutrition.
In March, CMS notified hospitals that adherence to the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans would be a requirement for continued Medicare and Medicaid payments.
Kennedy highlighted Tampa General Hospital's practice of sourcing approximately 25% of its food from local farmers as a key component of its successful model. "We have a template here at Tampa General," Kennedy stated. "We can say if they did it, you can do it."