After a few months of working at Mount Sinai, I began to notice that the Coffee Shop is a place where employees, volunteers, patients, & family members go to take a break from work or the stresses of everyday life. Seeing how significant this place was to the hospital community, how badly it was in need of a facelift, and how much better things could be, I began working on a proposal outlining a vision of a new and improved Coffee Shop. After months of planning, and with all of the pieces for this proposal in place, I gained the financial backing needed to make the first, most significant part of this dream a reality.
After presenting my proposal to the Executive, Board, and the higher-ups of the hospital, I have been given the green light to take the necessary measures in order to transform the Coffee Shop
from a drab and dreary environment with a hospital feel into an aesthetically-pleasing sanctuary.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
PROPOSAL
Review of the Literature on Related Articles
In all of the information surrounding hospital food and environment that was reviewed, an emphasis was placed on the alarming hypocrisy that exists between hospitals (institutions which are supposed to promote health & wellness) and the unhealthy practices they employ. Paradoxically, while hospitals should be promoting healthy lifestyle choices, many (if not most) allow for toxic materials to exist in the hospital environment and for the large-scale consumption of highly unhealthy foods, both of which have been linked to deteriorated health. There is a clear consensus that there has to be more of an emphasis on the impact that the environments in which we exist and the foods we put into our bodies have on us and that as hospitals, we should be at the forefront of this change.
A paper entitled “The Future of Fabric: Health Care,” the result of a joint effort by the Health Care Without Harm and The Healthy Building Network organizations, uncovers the fact that many of the textiles used in hospital environments “put chemicals and materials into the environment that may hurt, rather than protect, human health”.[1] Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) – often referred to as vinyl – is one of the most commonly-used materials in hospital settings for ceilings, upholstery fabric, flooring, and wall covering.[2] This material is associated with Dioxin & Phthalate chemicals, which are known to be highly toxic carcinogens as well as reproductive and developmental toxicants that alter endocrine and immune systems.[3] National Geographic, in an article applauding “Green” hospitals that try to reduce toxins and provide healthier environments, also noted that many of the materials we use, such as paints, furnishings, and adhesives, “can give off irritating, allergenic fragrances and toxic volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) such as formaldehyde”.[4]
Similarly to the state of hospital environments, hospital food is often extremely unhealthy and harms rather than improves the health of those who eat it. A recent editorial published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal points out that nowadays, hospitals are more likely to offer unhealthy fast food options than fresh, nutrient-rich choices. The authors, a medical director and a cardiologist, say that the junk food epidemic now evident in hospitals is in urgent need of being addressed. They claim that “junk food is the new tobacco” and that we need to make strides towards phasing out highly unhealthy food, just as we did when we began to prohibit the sale of cigarettes in hospitals. In an article published by the Ottawa Citizen, cardiologists and health care providers from Nova Scotia also attested to the poor state of food in Canadian hospitals, which offer unhealthy choices such as soft drinks, chips, and pastries. They realized just how poor the state of things were and how ironic it is for hospitals to sell unhealthy food when students from a nearby High School were migrating to the hospital cafeteria for lunch because they could not buy junk food at their school cafeteria. “We think health care institutions really need to lead by healthy example…[if] people come to hospitals, they should see the same foods we’re promoting in clinics” Dr. Stevenson, a cardiology resident at Dalhousie University, said.[5]
References
Butler, D. (2008). Watchdog group pushes hospitals to ban junk food in cafeterias. The Ottawa Citizen on the Web. Retrieved November 21, 2008 from
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen?news?story.html?id+e2fb5869-4e11b- 8f12-114.
Health Care Without Harm. Green Building: Alternatives to Polyvinul Chloride (PVC)
Building Materials for Health Care. Retrieved October 7, 2008 from
http://www.noharm.org/details.cfm?type=document&id=1339.
Health Care Without Harm. Low VOC Paint Listing. Retrieved November 5, 2008 from
http:www.noharm.org/details.cfm?ID=1672&type=document.
Reduce fast food in hospital cafeterias: CMA Journal editorial (July 30, 2008). CBC
News on the Web. Retrieved November 19, 2008 from
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/07/30/hospitals-fast-food.html.
Silas, J., Hansen, J., & Lent, T. (October 2007). The Future of Fabric: Health Care.
Research Collaborative of Healthy Building Network & Health Care Without Harm.
Weller, J. The Top 10 Green Hospitals in the U.S.: 2006. National Geographic Green
Guide. Retrieved November 11, 2008 from http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/113/top10hospitals.
MISSION STATEMENT
Our goal is to make the Coffee Shop into a much healthier and more aesthetically-pleasing environment by transforming it into a cleaner, greener space and supplying fresher, healthier food and drink options. In so doing, our customers – employees, patients, residents, and their families – will be better able to heal and prosper.
The Coffee Shop will be a place where people can come to eat and socialize in a feel-good, soothing, beautiful environment. Instead of emitting a hospital feel, it will be a refreshing and rejuvenating place where people can go to feel like they are getting away.
An element of education and community integration will also exist in the Coffee Shop. It will promote & encourage healthy lifestyle choices through informative signs and posters, as well as small incentives. It will also bring the hospital community closer together through its hands-on, interactive approach wherein individuals are encouraged to voice their opinions and concerns and take part in the improvements that are made. A sense of heightened awareness and a feeling of pride that we are doing the “right” thing for our bodies and the planet will bring the community closer together and increase a feeling of pride and importance amongst our patients, many of whom are not often given the opportunity to partake in feel-good efforts that contribute to the collective good of society.
The changes made will also act as a wonderful catalyst for the integration and support of people in the community who would otherwise not have come into contact with the hospital (for example, teachers and students from nearby Hebrew Academy as well as Côte Saint-Luc residents) who will come to see what all the buzz is about. Being impressed with what they see upon entering our hospital, many might end up making donations and becoming lifelong Auxiliary supporters.
The Coffee Shop transformation will benefit patients, visitors, and staff & will greatly improve Mt. Sinai overall. It will not only dramatically increase the health & well-being of our customers, but also greatly improve the profitability of our Coffee Shop in the long run.
In all of the information surrounding hospital food and environment that was reviewed, an emphasis was placed on the alarming hypocrisy that exists between hospitals (institutions which are supposed to promote health & wellness) and the unhealthy practices they employ. Paradoxically, while hospitals should be promoting healthy lifestyle choices, many (if not most) allow for toxic materials to exist in the hospital environment and for the large-scale consumption of highly unhealthy foods, both of which have been linked to deteriorated health. There is a clear consensus that there has to be more of an emphasis on the impact that the environments in which we exist and the foods we put into our bodies have on us and that as hospitals, we should be at the forefront of this change.
A paper entitled “The Future of Fabric: Health Care,” the result of a joint effort by the Health Care Without Harm and The Healthy Building Network organizations, uncovers the fact that many of the textiles used in hospital environments “put chemicals and materials into the environment that may hurt, rather than protect, human health”.[1] Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) – often referred to as vinyl – is one of the most commonly-used materials in hospital settings for ceilings, upholstery fabric, flooring, and wall covering.[2] This material is associated with Dioxin & Phthalate chemicals, which are known to be highly toxic carcinogens as well as reproductive and developmental toxicants that alter endocrine and immune systems.[3] National Geographic, in an article applauding “Green” hospitals that try to reduce toxins and provide healthier environments, also noted that many of the materials we use, such as paints, furnishings, and adhesives, “can give off irritating, allergenic fragrances and toxic volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) such as formaldehyde”.[4]
Similarly to the state of hospital environments, hospital food is often extremely unhealthy and harms rather than improves the health of those who eat it. A recent editorial published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal points out that nowadays, hospitals are more likely to offer unhealthy fast food options than fresh, nutrient-rich choices. The authors, a medical director and a cardiologist, say that the junk food epidemic now evident in hospitals is in urgent need of being addressed. They claim that “junk food is the new tobacco” and that we need to make strides towards phasing out highly unhealthy food, just as we did when we began to prohibit the sale of cigarettes in hospitals. In an article published by the Ottawa Citizen, cardiologists and health care providers from Nova Scotia also attested to the poor state of food in Canadian hospitals, which offer unhealthy choices such as soft drinks, chips, and pastries. They realized just how poor the state of things were and how ironic it is for hospitals to sell unhealthy food when students from a nearby High School were migrating to the hospital cafeteria for lunch because they could not buy junk food at their school cafeteria. “We think health care institutions really need to lead by healthy example…[if] people come to hospitals, they should see the same foods we’re promoting in clinics” Dr. Stevenson, a cardiology resident at Dalhousie University, said.[5]
References
Butler, D. (2008). Watchdog group pushes hospitals to ban junk food in cafeterias. The Ottawa Citizen on the Web. Retrieved November 21, 2008 from
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen?news?story.html?id+e2fb5869-4e11b- 8f12-114.
Health Care Without Harm. Green Building: Alternatives to Polyvinul Chloride (PVC)
Building Materials for Health Care. Retrieved October 7, 2008 from
http://www.noharm.org/details.cfm?type=document&id=1339.
Health Care Without Harm. Low VOC Paint Listing. Retrieved November 5, 2008 from
http:www.noharm.org/details.cfm?ID=1672&type=document.
Reduce fast food in hospital cafeterias: CMA Journal editorial (July 30, 2008). CBC
News on the Web. Retrieved November 19, 2008 from
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/07/30/hospitals-fast-food.html.
Silas, J., Hansen, J., & Lent, T. (October 2007). The Future of Fabric: Health Care.
Research Collaborative of Healthy Building Network & Health Care Without Harm.
Weller, J. The Top 10 Green Hospitals in the U.S.: 2006. National Geographic Green
Guide. Retrieved November 11, 2008 from http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/113/top10hospitals.
MISSION STATEMENT
Our goal is to make the Coffee Shop into a much healthier and more aesthetically-pleasing environment by transforming it into a cleaner, greener space and supplying fresher, healthier food and drink options. In so doing, our customers – employees, patients, residents, and their families – will be better able to heal and prosper.
The Coffee Shop will be a place where people can come to eat and socialize in a feel-good, soothing, beautiful environment. Instead of emitting a hospital feel, it will be a refreshing and rejuvenating place where people can go to feel like they are getting away.
An element of education and community integration will also exist in the Coffee Shop. It will promote & encourage healthy lifestyle choices through informative signs and posters, as well as small incentives. It will also bring the hospital community closer together through its hands-on, interactive approach wherein individuals are encouraged to voice their opinions and concerns and take part in the improvements that are made. A sense of heightened awareness and a feeling of pride that we are doing the “right” thing for our bodies and the planet will bring the community closer together and increase a feeling of pride and importance amongst our patients, many of whom are not often given the opportunity to partake in feel-good efforts that contribute to the collective good of society.
The changes made will also act as a wonderful catalyst for the integration and support of people in the community who would otherwise not have come into contact with the hospital (for example, teachers and students from nearby Hebrew Academy as well as Côte Saint-Luc residents) who will come to see what all the buzz is about. Being impressed with what they see upon entering our hospital, many might end up making donations and becoming lifelong Auxiliary supporters.
The Coffee Shop transformation will benefit patients, visitors, and staff & will greatly improve Mt. Sinai overall. It will not only dramatically increase the health & well-being of our customers, but also greatly improve the profitability of our Coffee Shop in the long run.
Plan of Action
All the donations and financial aid required for the first part of this project have been raised and/or pledged and are outlined in Table 1. All monetary assistance will be put in a “Coffee Shop Café Contribution Fund” which will be set up. After Phase 1 has been completed, the money put into this fund will allow us to continue making the Coffee Shop Café a healthy environment that provides healthy food (for example, by supporting aims to phase out harmful Styrofoam plates & cups and replacing them with affordable, eco-friendly alternatives as well as the purchase of items such as a bottle recycling receptacle and nutrient-rich snacks & beverages).
PHASE 1 – ENVIRONMENT CHANGES
Taking into account the strong link that exists between environment and health, we will use as many low-toxicity & VOC, reclaimed and recycled, wood and bamboo products and materials as possible. We will transform the space into a place of healing and serenity by employing the use of a clean, simple, and Zen-like aesthetic complete with soothing colors.
Specific Items
▪ Soothing shade of SICO Paint (SICO 6000 collection – 6108 -11 White Tissue)
▪ 4 tabletops made from bamboo (a wonderful anti-bacterial, anti-allergenic material)
▪ 1 small table made from bamboo to put by the cash register (to hold napkins, cutlery, etc.)
▪ 16 practical, functional, easy to clean & disinfect chairs
▪ 1 large dry-erase (white) board
▪ 1 large corkboard
▪ Hand-painted (cursive) “Coffee Shop Café” wood sign
▪ “Small steps lead to big changes” & “Des petits pas peut inspirer des gros changements” written in large cursive writing on the two planks of salvaged wood taken from the hospital
▪ 1 new, big clock (Debbie Travis Retro Wood Clock)
▪Aprons for employees and volunteers with “Coffee Shop Café” logo
▪ Accessories to hold & organize napkins, cutlery, etc. (preferably treated wood)
▪ Magazine rack (that will not take up much space)
▪ Baskets for storage above cabinets
▪ Markers for dry-erase board
▪ Recycling receptacle for plastic bottles
Cosmetic Changes
▪ Strip of aluminum installed along the bottom of the counter piece at the front, so as to cover up the current deterioration there and to protect that high-traffic area from further damage
▪ Hooks removed from current location and put behind the door
-The handy-work required for this project, including the installation of aluminum strips, disassembly of hooks & installment on the back of the door, as well as the paint job, will all be completed by individuals who agreed to volunteer their help.
PHASE 2 – EDUCATION & INTEGRATION
We will promote and encourage our customers to make healthy lifestyle choices by providing healthy food options. The café will provide incentives to reduce waste (for example, by providing a slight discount for people who bring their own refillable mugs) and will have recycling bins for cans and bottles. One of the first things we intend to do is to phase out the use of Styrofoam cups and plates in favor of more eco-friendly paper products.
In order to bring together the hospital community, there will be a “Quote of the Month” and a “Joke of the Month” section where an employee, patient, resident, or volunteer is chosen to provide an inspiring quote and funny joke. Next to the typed-up quote or joke will be a Polaroid picture of them. We will also have an “Article of the Month” on the topic of health in terms of personal eating habits or the importance of making eco-friendly choices as well as a suggestion section and will encourage people to voice their comments and concerns. There will also be “Think about it” signs, which will encourage people to consider what mainstream society does that is not environmentally-friendly and providing them with an alternative to what can be done. The corkboard will feature a copy of the Canada Food Guide pyramid and other such information in hopes of steering people towards healthier options. It will also have some information on the Auxiliary and what we do for families of patients and people who come from outside the hospital community.
PHASE 3 - FOOD CHANGES
Working within the kosher framework, we want to move away from selling highly processed, high-fat, and high-calorie fast foods towards a greater selection of healthy, nutrient-rich, locally-grown & produced options. By serving unhealthy foods like chips and soft drinks to our clients, we are doing them a grave disservice. It is our duty and responsibility as a food provider within a hospital, a place that should promote health and wellness, to at the very least offer healthy options. Our goal is to reduce the sale of items such as ice cream, chips, and soda and offer healthier foods that contain ingredients like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Junk food will not be eliminated, but there will be healthy options available and we will encourage those choices.
We will also start letting people know where and how the foods we sell were made, the ingredients they contain, and information about the company that produced them. This information will cater to the growing consumer interest in knowing more about what we put in our mouths and get people to start thinking about the importance of the food choices we make. Buying larger quantities of food from local sources means we are being environmentally conscious (because there is less fuel consumption on transportation) and we are buying fresher, healthier food that requires less pesticides and preservatives.
Currently, we are looking into a number of possible brands and companies that sell the type of product we are interested in. Healthy snacks such as mixed nuts, dried fruits, granola bars, and other such nutritious treats are at the top of our list of priorities. Some healthy kosher snacks we are currently looking into include Green Tree apple chips, Newman’s Own all-natural popcorn, B&B 100% whole wheat pretzels, and B&B sesame sticks.
GOAL
The goal is to do the changes necessary for the Coffee Shop Café during the week that it is closed for Passover, from April the 8th until the 16th of 2009. This timing is perfect, as we could have our grand opening just in time for Earth Day on April 22nd, which would bring in a lot of publicity.
All the donations and financial aid required for the first part of this project have been raised and/or pledged and are outlined in Table 1. All monetary assistance will be put in a “Coffee Shop Café Contribution Fund” which will be set up. After Phase 1 has been completed, the money put into this fund will allow us to continue making the Coffee Shop Café a healthy environment that provides healthy food (for example, by supporting aims to phase out harmful Styrofoam plates & cups and replacing them with affordable, eco-friendly alternatives as well as the purchase of items such as a bottle recycling receptacle and nutrient-rich snacks & beverages).
PHASE 1 – ENVIRONMENT CHANGES
Taking into account the strong link that exists between environment and health, we will use as many low-toxicity & VOC, reclaimed and recycled, wood and bamboo products and materials as possible. We will transform the space into a place of healing and serenity by employing the use of a clean, simple, and Zen-like aesthetic complete with soothing colors.
Specific Items
▪ Soothing shade of SICO Paint (SICO 6000 collection – 6108 -11 White Tissue)
▪ 4 tabletops made from bamboo (a wonderful anti-bacterial, anti-allergenic material)
▪ 1 small table made from bamboo to put by the cash register (to hold napkins, cutlery, etc.)
▪ 16 practical, functional, easy to clean & disinfect chairs
▪ 1 large dry-erase (white) board
▪ 1 large corkboard
▪ Hand-painted (cursive) “Coffee Shop Café” wood sign
▪ “Small steps lead to big changes” & “Des petits pas peut inspirer des gros changements” written in large cursive writing on the two planks of salvaged wood taken from the hospital
▪ 1 new, big clock (Debbie Travis Retro Wood Clock)
▪Aprons for employees and volunteers with “Coffee Shop Café” logo
▪ Accessories to hold & organize napkins, cutlery, etc. (preferably treated wood)
▪ Magazine rack (that will not take up much space)
▪ Baskets for storage above cabinets
▪ Markers for dry-erase board
▪ Recycling receptacle for plastic bottles
Cosmetic Changes
▪ Strip of aluminum installed along the bottom of the counter piece at the front, so as to cover up the current deterioration there and to protect that high-traffic area from further damage
▪ Hooks removed from current location and put behind the door
-The handy-work required for this project, including the installation of aluminum strips, disassembly of hooks & installment on the back of the door, as well as the paint job, will all be completed by individuals who agreed to volunteer their help.
PHASE 2 – EDUCATION & INTEGRATION
We will promote and encourage our customers to make healthy lifestyle choices by providing healthy food options. The café will provide incentives to reduce waste (for example, by providing a slight discount for people who bring their own refillable mugs) and will have recycling bins for cans and bottles. One of the first things we intend to do is to phase out the use of Styrofoam cups and plates in favor of more eco-friendly paper products.
In order to bring together the hospital community, there will be a “Quote of the Month” and a “Joke of the Month” section where an employee, patient, resident, or volunteer is chosen to provide an inspiring quote and funny joke. Next to the typed-up quote or joke will be a Polaroid picture of them. We will also have an “Article of the Month” on the topic of health in terms of personal eating habits or the importance of making eco-friendly choices as well as a suggestion section and will encourage people to voice their comments and concerns. There will also be “Think about it” signs, which will encourage people to consider what mainstream society does that is not environmentally-friendly and providing them with an alternative to what can be done. The corkboard will feature a copy of the Canada Food Guide pyramid and other such information in hopes of steering people towards healthier options. It will also have some information on the Auxiliary and what we do for families of patients and people who come from outside the hospital community.
PHASE 3 - FOOD CHANGES
Working within the kosher framework, we want to move away from selling highly processed, high-fat, and high-calorie fast foods towards a greater selection of healthy, nutrient-rich, locally-grown & produced options. By serving unhealthy foods like chips and soft drinks to our clients, we are doing them a grave disservice. It is our duty and responsibility as a food provider within a hospital, a place that should promote health and wellness, to at the very least offer healthy options. Our goal is to reduce the sale of items such as ice cream, chips, and soda and offer healthier foods that contain ingredients like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Junk food will not be eliminated, but there will be healthy options available and we will encourage those choices.
We will also start letting people know where and how the foods we sell were made, the ingredients they contain, and information about the company that produced them. This information will cater to the growing consumer interest in knowing more about what we put in our mouths and get people to start thinking about the importance of the food choices we make. Buying larger quantities of food from local sources means we are being environmentally conscious (because there is less fuel consumption on transportation) and we are buying fresher, healthier food that requires less pesticides and preservatives.
Currently, we are looking into a number of possible brands and companies that sell the type of product we are interested in. Healthy snacks such as mixed nuts, dried fruits, granola bars, and other such nutritious treats are at the top of our list of priorities. Some healthy kosher snacks we are currently looking into include Green Tree apple chips, Newman’s Own all-natural popcorn, B&B 100% whole wheat pretzels, and B&B sesame sticks.
GOAL
The goal is to do the changes necessary for the Coffee Shop Café during the week that it is closed for Passover, from April the 8th until the 16th of 2009. This timing is perfect, as we could have our grand opening just in time for Earth Day on April 22nd, which would bring in a lot of publicity.
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