Creating Healthier Places

El Camino Hospital

2017 Progress Report

Year Committed: 2014
Length of Commitment: 3 years
Select a Progress Report:

To move healthcare institutions toward delivering nutritious options to meet the needs of children and families they serve, committing hospitals will engage in nine domains of activities:

  1. Fruit and Vegetable Procurement-increasing purchasing of fruits and vegetables,
  2. Food Marketing-displaying only health-promoting foods in advertising and pictorials,
  3. Healthy Checkout-offering only healthier food options near cash register stations,
  4. Child Wellness Meals-offering to patients and guests a child wellness meal that meets specific nutrient, food and affordability profiles,
  5. Adult Wellness Meals-offering to patients, guests and staff adult wellness meals that meet specific nutrient, food and affordability profiles,
  6. Overall Cafeteria/Menu Offerings-increasing the percentage of healthy entrees and side dishes,
  7. Nutrition Labeling-labeling all foods with calories per serving,
  8. Healthy Beverage Procurement-increasing purchase of healthier beverages and
  9. Food Preparation-removing all fryers and deep fat fried products.

Verified Results

  • Implementation Date

    July 2015

    Reporting Date

    September 2017

    Commitment Element

    Display only health-promoting food options in all advertising/pictorials in cafeteria and general service patient menus.

    Progress To Date

    One out of two hospitals met the healthier marketing criteria.

    Results by hospital El Camino Hospital Mountain View Campus
  • Implementation Date

    July 2017

    Reporting Date

    September 2017

    Commitment Element

    Offer three wellness meals in the cafeteria and on general patient service menu that meets nutrient and food profiles and is priced less than or equal to other meal options.

    Progress To Date

    Zero out of two hospitals developed at least three wellness meals that met all components of the nutrient, food and affordability profiles. Zero out of two hospitals offered at least three qualifying wellness meals on both the patient menu and in the cafeteria at lunch and dinner for all three days reviewed.

    Results by hospital El Camino Hospital Los Gatos Campus
    * Submitted 3 unique wellness meals, 0 of which met food, nutrient, and affordability profiles. 
    * Offered three qualifying wellness meals on the cafeteria menu at lunch and dinner on 0 of 3 days.
    * Offered three qualifying wellness meals on the patient menu at lunch and dinner on 0 of 3 days.

    El Camino Hospital Mountain View Campus
    * Submitted 3 unique wellness meals, 0 of which met food, nutrient, and affordability profiles. 
    * Offered three qualifying wellness meals on the cafeteria menu at lunch and dinner on 0 of 3 days.
    * Offered three qualifying wellness meals on the patient menu at lunch and dinner on 0 of 3 days.
  • Implementation Date

    July 2017

    Reporting Date

    September 2017

    Commitment Element

    Offer health-promoting a la carte entrees and side dishes in the cafeteria and on general patient menus that meet nutrient and food profiles. By 2015, 40% of entrees and side dishes should be healthier options, 50% by 2016 and 60% by 2017.

    Progress To Date

    No data submitted.

  • Implementation Date

    July 2016

    Reporting Date

    September 2017

    Commitment Element

    Label all items available in the cafeteria at point of purchase/service with calories per serving (or calories per measure provided for salad bar type service).

    Progress To Date

    Zero out of two hospitals labeled all items available in the cafeteria at point of purchase/service with calories per serving.

  • Implementation Date

    July 2017

    Reporting Date

    September 2017

    Commitment Element

    Increase percentage of healthier beverage dollar purchases for use throughout the hospital to 80% of total beverage dollar purchases

    Progress To Date

    Insufficient data submitted.

  • Implementation Date

    December 2017

    Reporting Date

    January 2018

    Commitment Element

    Remove friers and deep fat fried products.

    Progress To Date

    Zero out of two hospitals have removed all fryers from their hospital facility. Of the two hospitals that still offered pre-fried, par-fried or flash-fried products, zero hospitals offered only products that met nutrient criteria.

    Results by hospital El Camino Hospital Los Gatos Campus
    *Deep fryers not removed and no data submitted on fried items.

    El Camino Hospital Mountain View Campus
    *Deep fryers not removed and 1 of 4 pre-fried, par-fried, or flash-fried items met criteria.

Partner Statement

“El Camino Hospital aims to make the healthy choice the easy choice for our employees, patients, and visitors. In addition to our daily ‘Cancer Healthy’ wellness meals, we have implemented guidelines for beverages and pre-packaged snacks offered by our cafeterias, vending machines, and gift shops. We have modified our environment by eliminating beverages with added sugar and only offering pre-packaged snacks that are ‘smarter snacks.’ A smarter snack has ≤250 calories, ≤10 grams of fat, ≤3 grams of saturated fat, zero trans-fat, ≤230 milligrams of sodium, and ≤20 grams of sugar. Many have expressed that they enjoy having a greater variety of healthier options available, and appreciate that it is now easier to choose something healthier at both campuses.”