Press release
From Mission Health:
MARION, N.C. (August 5, 2013) – McDowell Hospital cafeteria opens with a new look, new menu and new director. Patrick Kellum joined Mission Health in May as Director of Food Services at McDowell Hospital and has already implemented several noteworthy changes and programs to improve nutrition and increase patient and employee satisfaction.
“We are delighted to name Patrick Kellum as Director of Food Services at McDowell Hospital,” said Lynn Boggs, President and CEO of McDowell Hospital. “Kellum arrived at McDowell Hospital and immediately began leading the redesign of our new cafeteria. We are so pleased with the excellent feedback we are receiving from patients, visitors and guests about the quality and variety of our food. We can’t wait to see what else he has in store for the hospital as he continues to improve the way we care for our patients, visitors and employees through nutrition.”The McDowell Hospital cafeteria reopened the week of July 22 after extensive renovation, and now features new menu items, expanded seating for 60 people, an outdoor courtyard and a big screen television.
Beyond the cafeteria, Kellum has implemented the Catering to You program at McDowell Hospital, which assigns a catering associate to each patient. This program allows the catering associates to learn a patient’s food preferences and dislikes and to provide individualized nutritional choices. The Catering to You program strives to make each patient’s stay in the hospital more comfortable and, ultimately, to increase overall patient satisfaction. Kellum’s expertise in food services leadership has led to a rise in McDowell Hospital’s food service satisfaction scores. Recent patient feedback indicates satisfaction scores are 99 percent.
Kellum also led the opening of McDowell Hospital’s metro deli, which is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The deli serves fresh sandwiches with natural ingredients and preservative-free deli meats.
“I look forward to implementing even more exciting changes as Director of Food Services at McDowell Hospital,” said Kellum. “Traditional hospital food does not have the best reputation, but we are demonstrating that hospital food can be both nutritious and delicious. Our next project is to renovate and open a new coffee and gift shop in September. These renovations are a part of our expanded hospitality support plans for our wonderful patients, visitors and employees.”
Kellum has worked for Morrison Healthcare Food Services since 2007. During his previous tenure at Kings Mountain Hospital in Kings Mountain, NC, Kellum increased patient satisfaction scores from the 30th percentile to the 98th percentile.
About McDowell Hospital
McDowell Hospital is a Joint Commission-accredited, not-for-profit hospital located in Marion, N.C. Established in 1908, the hospital is licensed for 65 beds and has about 440 employees, including 120 RNs. The hospital is supported by practice service lines that include: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Orthopedics, Urology and Obstetrics & Gynecology. Currently five of its primary care practices have been recognized by CMS as Rural Health Clinics, and McDowell Hospital is developing an expanded primary care network for western North Carolina. McDowell Hospital is part of Mission Health, named in 2012 and 2013 as one of the nation’s Top 15 Health Systems by Thomson Reuters and Truven Health Analytics, respectively. Mission Health the only health system in North Carolina to receive this recognition. For more information, please visit mcdowellhospital.org.About Mission Health
Mission Health, based in Asheville, N.C., is the state’s sixth-largest health system and the region’s only not-for-profit, independent community hospital system governed and managed exclusively in western North Carolina. Mission Health was recognized as one of the nation’s Top 15 Health Systems in 2012 and 2013 by Thomson Reuters and Truven Health Analytics, respectively. Mission Health is one of only two medium-sized health systems to receive this recognition in 2012 and 2013, and the only health system in North Carolina to achieve that distinction.
Mission Health, which traces its roots in the region back to 1885, operates five hospitals, numerous outpatient and surgery centers and the region’s only dedicated Level II trauma center. Its medical staff consists of more than 1,000 physicians and is certified in more than 50 medical specialties and sub- specialties. Mission Health has seven Centers of Excellence: Cancer, Heart, Mission Children’s Hospital, Neurosciences, Orthopedics, Trauma and Women’s Health. Mission Hospital, located in Asheville, is the system’s flagship hospital and is licensed for 795 beds. It is the regional referral center for tertiary and quaternary care. It also includes Mission Children’s Hospital – the region’s only children’s hospital. Other Mission Health member hospitals include Angel Medical Center in Franklin, Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine, McDowell Hospital in Marion and Transylvania Regional Hospital in Brevard. With approximately 9,500 employees and 700 volunteers, Mission Health is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the people of western North Carolina. For more information, please visit mission- health.org.
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