Serving Up Satisfaction: How Food and Nutrition Shape the Patient Experience

Authors: Marwyn O’Keefe, Sodexo Healthcare Global Head of Consumer Insight, Angela Wright, Sodexo Healthcare Experience & Engagement Director, and Amanda Smith, VP Sodexo Healthcare

When we think about patient satisfaction in hospitals, our minds often go straight to medical care. However, food and nutrition play an often-overlooked yet critical role in shaping the overall patient experience. At Sodexo Healthcare, we’ve analyzed thousands of patient comments and found that 41% of feedback is related to hospitality, with 20% specifically mentioning food and nutrition services. These insights emphasize that food quality, service interactions, and nutritional care are key ingredients in creating a positive hospital stay. 

The Power of Nutrition in Patient Care

Nutrition is more than just sustenance—it’s a foundational element of healing and recovery. Studies show that poor nutrition is the number one cause of death worldwide, underscoring its role in health and wellness. For hospital patients, proper nutrition can directly impact recovery time, treatment outcomes, and overall well-being. 

For example, a patient admitted with a stage 1 pressure ulcer benefits significantly from nutritional protocols that provide necessary supplementation. Proper nutrition can slow the progression of the wound, reduce the length of stay, and enhance the patient’s experience. Similarly, patients with specific dietary needs, such as those recovering from heart disease, require not just the right meals but also education and support. Rather than focusing on restrictions, trained staff guide patients toward heart-healthy choices in a way that is encouraging and empowering. 

The Impact of Food on Emotional Well-Being

Beyond clinical benefits, food provides comfort and a sense of normalcy for patients. Consider a new mother who enters the hospital with both excitement and anxiety—especially when managing a condition like diabetes. Her experience is shaped not only by her medical care but also by the timing, portion sizes, and nutritional quality of her meals. Ensuring she receives meals aligned with her needs at the right time, with clear explanations from staff, makes her feel respected and cared for. 

Listening to Patients: The Role of Surveys and Rounding

To continuously improve patient satisfaction, Sodexo Healthcare employs two key tools, powered by Experiencia, our proprietary patient rounding and insights platform.

• Satisfaction Surveys: These provide anonymous, data-driven insights into trends, tracking areas of success and identifying where improvements are needed. This solution offers results to analyze for the long-term. 
• Patient Rounding: Staff engage directly with patients for 2-5 minute conversations, allowing them to provide immediate feedback on their food experience. This personal interaction fosters trust and helps resolve issues quickly.

By combining these real-time interactions with long-term data, we gain a comprehensive view of patient needs and preferences, allowing us to refine our food service approach continually.

Transforming Patient Satisfaction Through Food

Food service in hospitals is more than just a meal—it’s an opportunity to improve patient outcomes, comfort, and overall experience. By prioritizing nutrition, engaging with patients, and leveraging data-driven insights, we ensure that food and hospitality contribute positively to every hospital stay. At Sodexo Healthcare, we are committed to serving up satisfaction—one meal at a time.