TMCnet News
Morrison Healthcare Partners with Health Care Without Harm in Serving Meat and Poultry Without Unnecessary AntibioticsATLANTA --(Business Wire)-- On October 24, more than 60 Morrison Healthcare hospitals will serve meals that feature meat or poultry raised without non-therapeutic antibiotics. Joining alongside Health Care Without Harm and more than 300 other hospitals across the country, Morrison Healthcare is celebrating Food Day through its efforts to eliminate the overuse of antibiotics in animal agriculture and build a healthy, sustainable food supply. "We recognize the tremendous impact Morrison Healthcare can have on saving antibiotics for human medicine by engaging and encouraging our meat suppliers to extend their efforts on reducing non-therapeutic use of antibiotics," said Lisa Roberson, corporate wellness director for Morrison Healthcare. "We are proud supporters of this initiative and look forward to our continued collaboration and partnership with Health Care Without Harm." The connection between the unnecessary use of antibiotics in animal agriculture and antibiotic resistance in humans is a major concern among health experts. Four times the amount of antibiotics are used for industrial animal agriculture (29 million pounds) compared to human medicine (seven million pounds). . These superbugs are responsible for 23,000 deaths each year, eight million hospital stays, and $55 billion in health costs and lost productivity. "In order to solve the growing antibiotic resistance crisis in medicine we need to transform animal agriculture," said Gary Cohen, president and co-founder of Health Care Without Harm. "Companies - like Morrison Healthcare and others participating in Food Day - can lead this transformation by using their purchasing power to serve healthier food to their patients and employees as well as drive healthy, sustainable practices in the communities they serve." Across the country on Food Day alone, participating hospitals will collectively spend $87,000 on 9,000 pounds of chicken, 6,300 pounds of beef, and 2,700 pounds of pork and other meats that are raised without non-therapeutic antibiotics. The majority of these facilities serve these healthier options every day, and amplified over the course of a year, this represents more than 26 million meals and $32 million spent on more sustainably raised meat and poultry. "We're thrilled to have so many hospitals across the country joining in Food Day this year," said Lilia Smelkova, Food Day Campaign Manager. "Conditions on large factory farms are causing significant human and environmental health problems, and this type of market-based advocacy sends a direct message to meat and poultry producers that these practices need to change." About Health Care Without Harm Health Care Without Harm (https://noharm.org/) works to transform the health sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it becomes ecologically sustainable and a leading advocate for environmental health and justice. About Food Day Food Day (http://www.foodday.org/) inspires Americans to change their diets and our food policies. Every October 24, thousands of events all around the country bring Americans together to celebrate and enjoy real food and to push for improved food policies. About Morrison Healthcare Morrison Healthcare (www.morrisonhealthcare.com) is a leading national food and nutrition services company exclusively dedicated to serving more than 600 hospitals and healthcare systems. Morrison's hospital kitchens, restaurants and cafés feature socially responsible practices and exceptional guest experiences. The company's Mindful ChoicesSM platform includes the latest in healthful eating and an understanding of behavioral change in food consumption. Morrison has joined the Partnership for a Healthier America's (PHA) Hospital Healthy Food Initiative by committing 400 of its hospitals to improve the nutrition of patient meals and onsite food options. Morrison's alignment with PHA will positively impact up to 41 million patients and 500 million hospital meals annually. The Atlanta-based company was recently named one of Modern Healthcare magazine's "Top 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare in 2013". The company is a division of Compass (News - Alert) Group and has more than 1,300 registered dietitians, 450 executive chefs and 19,000 professional food service team members. |
