Kemptville Hospital’s Dietary Department Receives Award

Led by Dietitian Andrea Corbett, the Food and Nutrition Services group is named Morrison’s Regional Unit of the Year

JANUARY 19, 2012 – Kemptville District Hospital is committed to a patient-focused approach to healthcare in every department, and recently the dietary unit was honoured with an award for demonstrating that approach.

Several members of the Dietary team: (left to right): Cheryl Norris, Debra Holt, Andrea Corbett and Marg Thomson.

KDH’s Food and Nutrition Services group was named Regional Unit of the Year by Morrison, the healthcare division of Compass Group Canada, the hospital’s food service provider. The KDH unit was chosen from healthcare organizations all over the region, which encompasses Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba.

The Dietary Department at KDH is led by Andrea Corbett, a leader committed to quality and patient satisfaction. Corbett and her staff of 12 part- and full-time associates provide food services to all inpatients and Interim Long Term Care residents, as well as supplying the KDH Auxiliary with healthy meals and snacks for their coffee bar, and providing catering within the hospital.

Since arriving at KDH two years ago, Corbett has undertaken a number of new initiatives: creation of a new menu, review of the interim long-term care meal service, initiation of the partnership with the KDH Auxiliary for food service at the gift shop, and revision of vending machine stock to offer nutritious meals and snacks. Corbett accommodates special diets, consulting on sensitivities and allergies, and responding to patient preferences whenever possible.

Catherine VanVliet, KDH’s Director of Patient Services and Integration, commended Corbett and her team for responding to rapid organizational change by “showing leadership, focus on quality service, and collegiality towards patients, staff, volunteers and visitors.”

This is the second award for Corbett, a registered dietitian originally from Westville, Nova Scotia; after only six months in her current position she was named Morrison’s Regional Salaried Associate of the Year, an honour not usually bestowed on an employee with less than a year’s service to the company.

Morrison District Manager Jane McPherson speaks of Corbett in glowing terms: “Andrea and her team have done amazing things. For Andrea, ‘adequate’ is not good enough: she envisions what could be and makes it happen. She’s exceptional and she proves it every day.”

Although Corbett is a Morrison employee, she volunteers on a number of KDH committees, chairing both the Wound Care Committee and Environment Team, and participating in the inpatient quality team, long-term care quality team, and budget council. “It’s a reciprocal relationship,” she explains. “If I’m part of a team, I’m going to be a contributing member.”

About Kemptville District Hospital

Kemptville District Hospital is a fully accredited healthcare facility committed to building healthier communities. We are distinct within the provincial health system as a model of hospital-led integrated health services. We operate on two sites and provide primary care management services, acute care hospital services, advanced orthopaedic care and pride ourselves on being a good partner within the system. Kemptville Hospital consistently ranks among the top hospitals in Ontario for both patient and employee satisfaction.

For further information contact:

Jenny Read, Communications Lead

Tel: 613-258-6133 ext. 223

Email: jread@kdh.on.ca