During the past three months, the U.S. has experienced a never before seen global crisis. In the US, healthcare, senior dining, and longterm care facilities braced for the impact of COVID-19 by closing their doors to visitors and elective patients, shutting down their self-serve and buffet stations, implementing stringent cleaning protocols, and beginning to find unique ways to support their patients, residents, colleagues, and communities.
As AHF and its members start to reopen their doors and slowly make their way into a period of recovery, it is time to take stock of where we have been, where we are now, and how this will impact the future state of the healthcare and senior dining foodservice industries.
Join AHF and our partner Parts Town as we convene a panel of experts from various levels of the operational chain in acute care and senior dining to discuss the impacts this pandemic had on their operations, kitchens, equipment, and more. Our panelists will take a careful look at how they’ve had to adjust so far, how they plan to adapt to a new future, and what changes might be here to stay. Panelists will explore a range of topics including:
- How they will stay prepared for a future crisis
- What steps they took to shut down, start back up, and generally care for unused equipment during a time of unique crisis
- How they are planning for a post-pandemic world and to reopen their operations to a semblance of normal
- What pandemic measures are here to stay, and which ones will fade into the background
- What new technologies they might like to see in the kitchen or that they see being developed
- What operational changes and needs have our panelists uncovered from a foodservice equipment standpoint
- How has the pandemic changed their roadmap and procedures for future equipment needs, care, and replacement?
Meet the Panelists
BRUCE THOMAS
Vice President Hospitality Services
Geisinger Health System
Bruce joined Geisinger in 1987 as Production Manager of Foodservices at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa. In his current leadership role Bruce has administrative oversight for Hospitality Services functions including the Digital Print and Mail Center, Volunteer and Retail Services, Guest Services Operations, (Valet, Shuttle Bus services, Greeters) Foodservices, Environmental Services, The Pine Barn Inn Hotel and Restaurant, Support Services Quality and Regulatory Compliance and he chairs the Travel and Business Reimbursement committee for the system.
JACK BREEZEE
Regional Director of Food and Nutrition Services
Sutter Health
Jack Breezee is the Regional Director of Food and Nutrition Services for Sutter Health’s 10 acute care hospitals located in the greater Sacramento area of Northern California. The hospitals range in size from 50 beds to 515 beds and serve 4 million meals per year. Jack has a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership and 42 years of food service experience, 30 of those years in healthcare. He has been in his current role for 14 years. He is an immediate past member of Sutter Health’s GPO, Vizient, Food Council. Jack enjoys his home and loves to travel the world with friends
MARY COOLEY
Director of Dining Services
Pennswood Village
Mary Cooley, MA, RD, LDN, for the past 13 years, Mary has serves as the Director of Dining Services at Pennswood Village, a 450 resident CCRC in Newton, Pennsylvania. Her career includes leadership positions in Senior Living Dining, Food and Nutrition Management and Support Services in a variety of settings including, acute care and long term care. Mary is an experienced Healthcare Food Services Administrator with over 39 years of experience and an extensive background in operations management, employee relations, leadership, process improvement, and productivity.
BRIAN NORDHAUSEN
Chief Engineer
Mills-Peninsula Medical Center, a Sutter Acute Care Hospital
Brian Nordhausen is the Chief Engineer for Mills-Peninsula Medical Center, a Sutter Acute Care Hospital. He has spent the majority of his career servicing hospitals and healthcare facilities as a mechanical contractor, and he became a MPMC Engineer in 2016. Brian enjoys working with his hands, helping people and problem-solving. He lives an active, outdoor lifestyle appreciating all that life has to offer.