'Homing Trays' at the Atrium? Well - Almost

Atrium Cafeteria trays wind up in the most unlikely places - in fact, wherever you happen to take them throughout the hospital. And this wanderlust generates expense for tray replacement as well as inconsistent tray availability in the Atrium, problems two hospital departments ­p; nutrition and dietetics and environmental services - have taken seriously and done something about.

They have joined efforts to make returning trays to the cafeteria easier for you and more efficient for the hospital.

"The system is in place. All we need is your cooperation," say Kathryn Goldberg, RD, director, nutrition and dietetics, and Nancy M. Schneck, director, environmental services.

Departments are asked to designate a specific space within their own area for return-ready trays. Any trays brought into the department should be cleared of any food debris and stacked in that place daily. Monday through Friday, environmental services staff will remove any neatly stacked trays and drop them at designated central locations throughout the hospital. Then nutrition and dietetics staff will pick trays up from these central locations for processing.

When taking food from the building, Atrium customers are asked to continue to use disposable trays, conveniently stocked near the Atrium cashier stations for this purpose. "

If everyone cooperates, more trays will become available for Atrium customers, tray clutter will be avoided and the expense of tray replacement will be reduced," says Steven Seidel, assistant director/Gibbon Building, environmental services. He and Terri Wentzell, unit manager, Foerderer Pavilion, Main and Thompson buildings, environmental services, and Mary Grant, assistant director, production services, nutrition and dietetics, coordinated the establishment of central locations throughout Gibbon, Main and Thompson buildings as nutrition and dietetics pick-up locations for this improved system.