Chris Hunsley
Northern News Services

Inuvik (July 04/05) - A hospital is rarely a pleasant experience and the food might be the worst part.

Results from the NWT Hospital Satisfaction Questionnaire gave the territory's four hospitals high marks for everything except meals.

MaryJane Bernhardt, head cook and supervisor at the Inuvik hospital cafeteria, serves up a plate of baked ham, scalloped potatoes and green beans. - Chris Hunsley/NNSL photo How is the food? Stanton Territorial Hospital (Yellowknife) 46% fair to very poor 40% good 12% excellent Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services 33% fair to very poor 57% good 9% excellent HH Williams Memorial Hospital (Hay River) 40% fair to poor 38% good 22% excellent

Food in the Inuvik and Hay River hospitals is prepared by Aramark Canada. Meals at Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife are prepared by Sodexho. All received low grades from patients rating quality of food. The Fort Smith hospital was not rated.

"I used to always eat here, but now I refuse," said Brigitte Ritias, pay and benefits administrator at the Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services Authority.

The quality of meals served to patients and hospital visitors has declined over the past two years to the point that 60-80 per cent of her co-workers, who used to meet frequently for lunch in the cafeteria, avoid it, she said.

"This is a hospital, it should set an example for people about how to eat healthy, not just fried foods," said Ritias, who won't allow her two children to eat at the hospital.

Questionnaire respondents suggested more variety, tastier foods and more country foods.

"I'm here for the rest of my life and sometimes I can't eat the food," said Pierre Benoit, who has lived in Inuvik's long-term care facility for two years. "I'm used to food from the land."

The Tsiigehtchic elder explained that friends from the communities make weekly deliveries of caribou or fish that he helps prepare for other patients.

Plain and bland

"Hospital food is often somewhat of a challenge to get just right," said Stephen Jackson, planning co-ordinator for Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife.

Meals are prepared to be plain with little spice and salt to be palatable by everyone and what is served in the cafeteria is most often served to patients.

The survey's findings matched closely the results of the Stanton's own quarterly questionnaire.

"It definitely does show there's room for improvement like our colleagues around the territory," said Jackson.

A typical week's menu includes chicken fried rice and egg rolls, pasta bar, perogies, cabbage rolls, garlic sausage, salad bar and chicken bakes, southern fried chicken, pizza and chili.

Can't please everybody

Most patients would prefer not to be in the hospital, they may be on limited diets and are used to home cooked meals so hospital food is always an issue, said Gerry Uswak, CEO of Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services.

"But the vast majority of people are satisfied with the food so I don't have much of a problem with it."

After earlier requests for healthier options, the hospital built a salad bar and included more fresh fruit with meals. The hospital will look at adding more country food.

"We'll try to work with folks, but you can't please everybody all of the time," said Uswak.