Al2 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, June 14, 2000 New food system now at Terraceview THE SECOND phase of a controversial food preparation pragram kicked in last week when the kitchens at Mills Memor- ial Hospital began serving ‘residents of Terraceview Lodge. In place for nearly two years at Mills, the system invalves. preparing a day's meals all at once and- ‘Keeping them chilled until needed. Cooks can prepare meals. several days in advance as the system, whieh flash chills food to.under 4. Co . The $250,000 -cost has been criticized by local critics who say ‘the money would be better spent. on patient care. While the system may appear to be. costly at first, it does save on labour, says Terrace and Arca’ Community Health Council chief executive Dieter Kuntz, “The pay back at Mills was under two years,” said Kuntz. “We're predicting a pay back at Terraceview within the same lime period. These annual savings, “esti-- mated to be up to. $175,000, can be-then turned back to patient care, he said. >. Food for patients at Mills ‘is prepared’ ~~’ as it always has been and then placed on. special trays with separate, insulated compartments for hot and cold items.. After being flash chilled, the trays are placed in a unit which is similar ‘in ap- pearance to the ones used to contain meals on airplanes. This unit is then plug-: ged into a wall housing where a computer program is used to keep the items chilled. : The same computer program then. acti- vates heating elements geared to “having © the food ready for meal times. Insulated Kitimat could be a factor in food system containers keep items coal that need to be cool while other items are heated. For Terraceview residents, foad is pre- pared and then chilled in large containers not unlike what people would see in a ca- feteria setting. _ Those containers are. then placed in the large carts, sufficient in sizeto hold a breakfast, lunch and dinner for Terrace- view residents.. One cart. is trucked to. Terraceview cach dayin the. morning..and an empty -one returned. The cart is then plugged into a-wall-unit and food heated-up in order to be ready at meai times. On the weekend, enough food is taken to Terraceview for twa days. ~ Mills: Memorial food services manager Joe Steuer likes the new system, although he says it took some ‘time to get used to it. “Once we get-a flow running, it seems there’s a lot less pressure,” said Steuer. “Before we would: be. cooking: three times a day, putting the food on trays for patients.” “We'd be worried it wouldn’t be hot by -the-time: it reached’ patients: and we'd be ‘worried about ‘the quality. and -safety,” said Steuer. ‘The new cook-chill system 1 means hot food’ is still hot:and cold food is cold When delivered to patients, he says. _Terraceview. Lodge food’ workers .worked with kitchen staff at Mills to de- velop menus suitable for: their. residents. --The kitchen at Terraceview Lodge will remain in place: and will prépare items not being prepared at Mills. A SPEGIAL CART in which meals can be kept on trays and chilled until heated up is shown to mem- bers of the Terrace and Area Gommunity Health Council by Jo Ann Stock of A la Carte, the compa- ny that sold the system to the health council. . comments and his own expertise to guide him. . James W. Radelet RADELET & COMPANY Barristers & Solicitors Tax Law * Trusts ¢ Corporate & Commercial 1330 - 1075 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6E 3C9 Phone; 604-689-0878 Fax: 604-689-1386 To Whom Should You Entrust Your Dentures? The denturist is a recognized health profes- sional who constructs, inserts and adjusts remov- able dentures (partial or complete), as well as - overdentures on implants. Your denturist ideally suited to advise patients in. such matters and you can expect their work to be of exceptionally high quality. The denturist is therefore not to be con- fused with other professionals whose field: pertains mainly to dental health, In B.C. the registered. denturist can be recog- nized by the initials “R.D.” which follow his name. Part of the denturist's work is to listen. They do all the construction themselves in order to deliver a personalized prosthesis that is perfectly adapted to your mouth and your appearance. From the first impression to the last adjustment, h e relies on your ‘Your denturist is also qualified to instruct you on how best to care for your dentures, which includes telling you when adjustment or replace- ment is needed. The denturist's work requires precision and meticulousness. This alone is your best guarantee of a custom-made denture of very high qualily.. .at and affordable price. A NEW food preparation system at Mills Memorial Hospital could very well be used to provide meals to the new hospital under con- struction in Kitimat, says a local health care official. Called a cook chill can be prepared as much as five days ahead of time before reheating for serving, one central kitchen could serve institutions spread out over a geographic area, says Terrace ‘and Area Community Health Council chief ‘executive Dieter Kuntz. Although Kuntz emphasized that there have been no discussions with Kitimat health care officials, “if Kitimat is interested, a contract for that kind of service with this institution is system in which food’ See them for all. your vehicle needs possible,” he suid. “This kind of system is designed to be mul- li-inslitutional. If they felt comfortable with that, it_would have to be a voluntary decision an their part.” * Kuntz noted that the expansion of the cook- chill to have ‘the kitchens at Mills make meals for Terraceview Lodge, residents demonstrates that ‘food can be delivered safely from the lo- éation at which it is prepared. He also-said that should Kitimat officials ‘ever approach Terrace, a pilot period could be arranged to evaluate the chances of a more forma! arrangement. OO0000 The adoption of the new food system at Full Mechanical Repairs «Gasoline 4- * Propane ¢Car Wash ® Inspections ® Diesel ® Tires 4 ee Sore a nd Sa Gallery include... sq ¥ g : . ° Tend “e-horid carved silver: & gold. limited edition prints by Northwest artists original watercolours, cerylics and oils * corved soapstone from BC 4 Millis and its resulting efficiencies might lead to a re-opening of the facility’s cafeteria, says Kuntz, Closed some years ago because of bud- get cuts, hospital officials are now re-visiting the subject. “The one condition is that it could not be subsidized,” said Kuntz. “It would have to operate asa break even operation. The money that is given here for patients should go to pa- tient services, not to feed the staff.” Financial considerations include the cost of the food preparation and the cost of employees who would be needed to maintain any cafeter- ia set up. There are now vending machines in the ca- feteria and in the main waiting room area. ‘Approximate relait value, Terms and conditions apply for contest, See Store for entry form and details. When was the last time you saw your denturist? & Kermodei Denture Clinic RUDI PETERS, BRS, DD, RD, FCDA(A) YOUR DENTURE SPECIALIST #206-4650 LAZELLE AVE. TERRACE, B.C. 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