Written by Mari Diogo, Facilities Manager, Teddington Memorial Hospital
Six months ago we reviewed our catering department and identified one of the key challenges we faced on a daily basis was poor communication between the kitchen and the food service assistants – in particular what meals were ordered by patients and what meals were actually delivered. The process of taking orders for patient meals was also very time-consuming.
Picnic, an online meal ordering system promised to give both departments more transparency and clarity. The system was developed specifically for hospitals so it is very easy to use for the staff but also for the patients – which is most important!
The system, Picnic, has brought us lots of benefits. We now have much clearer communication between all teams. Patients love Picnic, as they can see pictures of the food, so they know exactly what they are going to eat.
Mari Diogo, Facilities Manager, Teddington Memorial Hospital
Plus, the system shows them all the nutrition, calories and allergens for each meal so the patients and the ward staff are able to make more informed decisions, at the point of ordering. And we no longer print and use paper forms – everything is captured directly on the tablet for all to see!
Picnic has also helped us reduce food waste. Most of our patients are elderly and many of them suffer from dementia. Before we used Picnic, some patients would forget what they had chosen, by the time it arrived! Now with Picnic they are able to see the photo of the meal, and that makes it much easier for them to remember what they ordered.
I find Picnic the perfect solution for us, and I would recommend it to any hospital. It also comes with great support and training from the Pelican team, they really provide great customer service!
Picnic’s key benefits
- An integrated module, part of the Pi Procurement System
- Built for the healthcare sector
- Displays allergen & nutritional information during ordering
- Displays meal photos
- Ordering deadline prompts
- Track & manage special dietary requirements
- Plan & review menu availability
- Manage store-cupboard orders
- Expenditure analysis tools
