On Monday, Mercy Hospital becomes what is believed to be the first hospital in the country to offer room service.
An extensive restaurant-style menu will be available from 7am-7pm, with patients able to select from meals designed to meet treatment requirements such as being fluid-free, pureed, or suitable for patients who have had gastric surgery.
''Patients can pick up the phone and have a freshly made breakfast of pancakes, bacon, poached eggs, and a fresh fruit salad delivered to them in just 45 minutes,'' Mercy chief executive Richard Whitney said.
''Some research suggests that giving patients control over their meal times and the range of food they want to eat can positively aid recovery after surgery.''
Mercy has also introduced an information management system to ensure all meals are appropriate to medical requirements.
''It interfaces with the hospital's patient management system, allowing diet codes to be entered by nursing staff to limit patient choices, as necessary, to ensure that all dietary requirements are met.''
Meals will be cooked by chefs to order, then delivered to hungry patients' rooms.
''A variety of recipes have been put to the test to ensure that both nutritional standards and flavour are optimised,'' Mr Whitney said.
''This has resulted in a broad menu consisting of dishes that the patient, and even their family members, can enjoy.''
