"Hospital Stays Made Safe"

GIG Offers an Online Dietary Guide

I continue to feel that "there ought to be a law" when it comes to providing medically appropriate food to people in institutions such as hospitals, nursing homes, and prisons. It just seems to be common sense that people on medical gluten-free diets receive gluten-free food in medical institutions—or anywhere else where they have little or no ability to control food procurement or preparation.

So far there's no such law, but at least the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) recognizes the problem. As has been reported, including Nancy Lapid's Celiac Disease Blog, GIG recently created an online guide called Hospital Stays Made Safe [PDF]. It's not a cure-all, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

And it's one of numerous online publications offered by GIG. Check 'em out!

For an idea of what we're up against, here's a glimpse of some "normal" hospital food. (The footage comes from across the proverbial pond, where Prince Charles and Coeliac UK have also advocated on behalf of hospital patients.)



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Protecting the Vulnerable

My heart goes out to anyone trying to maintain a gluten-free diet in an institutional setting such as a hospital or a nursing home. Jokes about the poor food quality in such places are common, but it's no joke to actually be poisoned in a place that is supposed to be protecting your health when you aren't necessarily in a position to articulate your needs or advocate for yourself.

Tricia Thompson recently addressed the nursing home situation in her post "Gluten Free Meals for the Elderly," which includes an interview with nutrition consultant Ronni Alicea, who works with health care facilities to address medical diet issues and also owns Celinal Foods, which markets microwaveable gluten-free meals to such institutions.

One of Alicea's interesting suggestions is to have a celiac blood panel administered upon admission and annually thereafter, to monitor compliance with the diet. Makes sense to me—that's something anyone with celiac disease can do, in or out of a facility! I also like the emphasis on sticking to medical gluten-free diets to stay healthy and thereby minimize any need to resort to a nursing home.

Alicea also suggests that one raise dietary issues when considering nursing homes.

When selecting a nursing home, first discuss the diet with administration. As we know, gluten free diet management impacts every aspect of life.

In addition to receiving properly prepared gluten free meals we need to assure that (1) nursing reviews medications and snacks, (2) the activity department includes gluten free options in their activities, and (3) rehabilitation therapies are aware. It is vital that a person following a gluten-free diet does not isolate themselves because of the fear or perception that the staff does not understand their needs.

The facility administrator will coordinate the interdepartmental education with the guidance of the facility dietitian. Once you are comfortable that the facility is committed to continuing your parent’s gluten free lifestyle, it is time to discuss menu planning with the dietitian.

That's good advice, but the fact of the matter is that the selection process might be made under very rushed and frantic circumstances, that the possible nursing homes might be very limited in quantity and quantity, and that many people have their nursing homes chosen for them. That is one reason why the standards and practices maintained by nursing homes ought to be high enough to accommodate gluten-free and other medical diets with ease.

HOPE FOR HOSPITAL FOOD?

Food served to hospital patients ought to be safe and nutritious and compatible with medical diets, including gluten-free diets. That isn't always the case, to say the least—but now there's a high-profile advocate for better hospital food: Prince Charles!

Here is a portion of "See food as a medicine, says Prince," a February 5, 2008 article from The Press Association.

The Prince of Wales has urged hospital trust bosses to see food as a "medicine" in itself as he highlighted the importance of nutritional meals being served to patients.

Charles made the comments at the Royal Brompton Hospital where around 20 chief executives and senior managers had gathered to hear about the institution's pioneering catering initiative.

The Royal Brompton in Chelsea, West London serves its patients freshly made meals created from produce 20% of which is either sourced locally or is organic.

It also offers a range of foods which are free from additives, gluten, dairy or genetically modified produce and low in fat.

The Prince said to the hospital chief executives: "We need to see food as a medicine in itself."

He also told them: "At the risk of stating the blindingly obvious people largely go to hospital to get well and obviously the food we eat does make a difference to our general health even when we are not ill.

"So it does seem even more crucial the food hospital patients are given helps rather than risks hindering the process of recovery."

Hear, hear!



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NATIONAL RECOGNITION

New York City hospitals and a popular GFRAP restaurant in NYC recently received top rankings in national publications.

U.S. News and World Report ranked the Best Hospitals in America 2007. The only NYC hospital to make the Honor Roll of the strongest all-around medical centers is New York-Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell, which ranked sixth—behind Johns Hopkins (Maryland), The Mayo Clinic (Minnesota), UCLA Medical Center (California), Cleveland Clinic (Ohio), and Massachusetts General Hospital.

U.S. News and World Report also offered a breakdown of the rankings according to specialty. Here are some top-rated NYC hospitals according to some relevant specialties:

DIGESTIVE DISORDERS
9. Mount Sinai Medical Center
13. New York-Presbyterian

ENDOCRINOLOGY
5. New York-Presbyterian
28. NYU Medical Center

NEUROLOGY AND NEUROSURGERY
3. New York-Presbyterian
11. NYU Medical Center

RHEUMATOLOGY
3. Hospital for Special Surgery
11. NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases
16. New York-Presbyterian

And now, on to the food!

City magazine compiled a list of 101 Favorite Restaurants nationwide. New York City dominates with 11 restaurants including Jean Georges, Lupa, Vong, and...Risotteria, ranked 27! Risotteria even has its own category: Italian/Gluten-Free!

So...congrats to Risotteria's staff and its owner, Joe Pace, and thanks to City for recognizing gluten-free cuisine. And thanks for the lead to Scott of Scoboco—one of my very favorite NYC blogs.