When it comes to airplanes, college dining halls, and cafeterias, the food doesn’t have the best reputation. Hospital food is also criticized for being limited in choice as well as in quality. Many people expect hospital food to be reheated, from a box, tasteless, or in worst case situations, completely unidentifiable. Doctors will be the most qualified to set the record straight, and we asked them:
Is hospital food is underrated?
Doctors gave us a pizza their mind, as over 2500 physicians responded from 45+ countries.
A slight majority of 56 percent of doctors answered yes, the food is underrated:
“Lots of starbucks drinks/coffee and large selection of Naked juice selection. Lunch is also pretty good. Hospital gets a bunch of sushi daily from local Japanese restaurant. Also physicians and clinicians are not charged in the cafeteria and free stuff tastes better.” – Radiology, U.S.
“Generally, the food distributed in my hospital is of excellent quality and abundant.” – Urology, IT
“The institution where I work has food highly praised by professionals and patients.” – Pediatrics, Brazil
“The food at my hospital cafeteria is good.” – Internal Medicine, U.S.
However, 44 percent of respondents – especially in the U.S. – maintained that there is truth in the stereotype:
“Hospital food and prison food are probably one in the same.”- Internal Medicine, U.S.
“For 2 1/2 years my older daughter, Emma, was in and out of Duke Hospital for her ALL chemo. Their cafeteria was horrid. They had something called “ITZA Pizza.” Named, I presume, because if they hadn’t told you “it’s a pizza” you would never have guessed.” – Family medicine, U.S.
“I subsisted on popcorn during residency. Even the salads were inedible.” – Obstetrics & Gynecology, U.S.
“To be honest, I went to the cafeteria once or twice about 26 years ago. I used to get a gift certificate every year on my birthday from the hospital for a free meal at the cafeteria. I never used any of them, ever.” – Family Medicine, U.S.
“When I answer no I want to point out that it is “disgusting” and inadmissible!” – General Practice, FR
The poll was fielded in November of 2017. 2518 physicians responded to the poll. The margin of error for the global poll was ±2%. More information about Sermo polling methodology can be found here.
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