Kaiser Permanente isn't offering fresh fruits and produce in its ERs or surgical suites, but it's taking a step almost that unorthodox, with plans to expand its Bay Area experiment with weekly farmers' markets at medical centers both regionally and nationally.
The Oakland-based hospital and health plan giant is also exploring, in preliminary fashion, the possibility of purchasing as much as 20 percent of the food used in its hospitals, cafeterias and business meetings from local organic growers, according to Preston Maring, M.D., the Kaiser Oakland physician who dreamed up the farmers' market idea.
Great news about Kaiser Permanente in this article. I remember one day talking with someone about the fact that hospital food is so processed, and is not something that I would ever eat at home. This is a step in the right direction. At the moment, I am proud that Kaiser is my health plan provider!
