Newfoundland's Eastern Health will phase out the traditional food service method where meals are prepared at an off-site central kitchen and delivered to acute care sites, according to an article on the CBC News website.
It is being replaced by a system called "steamplicity," which relies on microwave technology to heat the meals.
Eastern Health will establish a new, smaller food services "cuisine center" site, according to a statement. The current central kitchen will close and employees will either be redeployed to food services at city hospitals or to the new cuisine centre. The work is not being contracted out to Morrison, and that Eastern Health employees will continue to provide the service.
Patients will be able to place an order for meals, much the same as they would at a restaurant, These orders are transmitted to an off-site production center that is smaller than the current central kitchen, where the meals are made from frozen food and later transported to the facility, where they are microwaved and delivered to the patient.