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Today’s Special: Healthier Eating

BIDMC food services is serving up a new variety of menu items and healthy choices for patients and staff.

Food services recently unveiled new menus designed to meet patients’ nutrition and customer satisfaction needs. The changes resulted from an ongoing review by food services and nutrition services of patient surveys and nursing staff input.


Food Services Tray Line Server Daphni Coley serves up healthy, hearty fare to BIDMC employees.

BIDMC's food services, nutrition services and patient care services worked collaboratively to research, analyze and test numerous menu items. In all, the project took from six months to a year to plan for the new patient menus' development and implementation. Those who worked on the project include Richard Gibbons, director of food services; Kevin Senior, operations manager; Patt Samour, R.D., L.D.N, director, nutrition services and dietetic internship; chefs Eric Palilunas and Jack Ludden; Cheeky Martin, patient care services manager; and dietary technicians Susan Delano, Cheryl DeMild and Joanne Chambers.


Pictured left to right: Palilunas; Senior; Gibbons; Samour; Martin; DeMild and Delano

Changes include:

More choice. Responding to patients’ requests for more variety, food services now offers different lunch and dinner menus and has added a new lunch-time “deli selection” option that allows patients to create their own sandwich meals. “We’ve retained the popular food choices, while creating new meal options based on the feedback,” says Richard Gibbons, manager, food services. “Our goal is to enhance patient satisfaction, and we will continue to track patient satisfaction scores closely.”

Modified-diet menu selections. For patients managing diabetes and heart disease, nutrition services and food services staff have created a combination low-sodium, consistent-carbohydrate menu, in addition to the other specialized diet menus available. The modified diet menus offer nutritional balance and serve as a teaching tool, helping patients understand dietary requirements for healthy eating. Patients with poor nutritional intake benefit from meal supplement drinks added as an option to many of the modified-diet menus, as well as to the regular menu.


Food Services Manager and Chef Eric Palilunas

“Nutrition services, food services and nursing worked collaboratively to improve patient nutrient and caloric intake,” says Patt Samour, R.D., L.D.N., director of nutrition services and dietetic internship.

Food services is also working closely with the BeWell Tanger Center for Health Management to introduce the “BeWell Recommends” program for employees. Each week, BeWell’s registered dietitian, along with chefs from food services, selects cafeteria menu items that are both nutritious and delicious. Look for the “BeWell Recommends” symbol on signage and menus to help make smart and healthy food choices. In addition, weekly healthy lifestyle tips will be offered by the health educator and exercise physiologists at BeWell. The tips focus on healthy habits that can easily be incorporated into daily life.

- Lori Howley


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Published monthly for the people of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to build community, communicate direction, foster pride and recognize accomplishments.

Produced by Beth Israel Deaconess communications, (66)7-7300

director, internal communications:
   Cindy Whitcome
managing editor:
   Valerie Hope Goldstein
print layout & design:
   Jen McGrath & Jane Hayward
web layout & design:
   Jim Dwyer & Lisa Jeanne Graf
contributing archivist:
    Ruth Freiman
contributing photographers:
   Oran Barber, Bruce Wahl


© BIDMC, Boston, MA, USA, 2004. All rights reserved. Material may be reproduced only with the express written consent of communications.














Emergency Department Team
Goes to Bat at Fenway Park

(L-r) McCool Heatley, paramedic Joe Gibson, EMT-P, Pacheco and McKay are saving lives at Fenway.

When the Boston Red Sox took to the field at Fenway Park on opening day, BIDMC’s six-member first aid team was there. All season, the team will be ready to respond if medical emergencies arise during the hometown team’s 81 home games.

This marks the second year that physicians, nurses, residents, technicians and paramedics from the emergency department (ED), nurses from the intensive care unit (ICU) and post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), and internal medicine residents are staffing a first aid station behind first base as part of BIDMC’s partnership with the Red Sox.

“It is so important to know that our fans are well-treated if they need medical attention, and the doctors and nurses from Beth Israel Deaconess are the best,” says Sox Chief Operating Officer Mike Dee. “We love having them at Fenway.”

ED nurse Sue Pacheco, R.N., coordinates the Fenway shift with ED physician Edward Ullman, M.D. During each game, two “remote” first aid teams fan out to Fenway’s right roof and Green Monster. A lead nurse dispatches the closest team to quickly stabilize injured fans. While emergency medical technicians (EMTs) stand ready to transfer injured or ill fans to BIDMC’s ED, many can be treated on-site.

The BIDMC team sees 15 to 100 fans per game, treating everything from sun blisters to cardiac arrest. Last year the team dealt with several crises. On opening day 2003, a coach suffered a seizure. After Richard Wolfe, M.D., chief of emergency medicine, and Pacheco started an intravenous line and stabilized him, they received a standing ovation from the crowd.

Another famous patient was Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster. “A few times Wally got overheated and dehydrated,” Pacheco recalls. “That costume is hot on summer days!”

Observes Michelle McCool Heatley, R.N., BIDMC’s director of emergency services, “I’m proud of the leadership I’ve seen among our staff. This Red Sox partnership has afforded us not only with growth opportunities, but also community recognition of our staff’s expertise.”

Adds Wolfe, “Our presence at Fenway reflects the expertise, training and clinical judgment patients and families can expect from our trauma and critical care staff at the medical center. And like the Red Sox, the BIDMC team is used to working under pressure.”

Last year, the Red Sox presented the BIDMC team with a framed jersey autographed by players and staff. As important as the recognition, says ED nurse Chris McKay, R.N., is the spirit of cooperation among BIDMC team members. “Being at Fenway fosters cooperation, since you are working together outside of your element,” he says.

“There is no shortage of volunteers,” adds McCool Heatley. “It’s fun work, being outside in the middle of all this history.”

- Valerie Hope Goldstein


(L-r) Pacheco, McKay and Gibson proudly display
the framed jersey signed by Red Sox players and
staff that the team presented them with last year.