1. TOWARD TOTAL COMMUNITY HEALTH
Kaiser Permanente’s
Comprehensive Food Policy
Loel Solomon, Ph.D.,
National Director, Community Health Initiatives and Evaluation
CFSC Annual Conference
Vancouver, BC
October 10, 2006

2. About Kaiser Permanente
Founded in 1945
America’s oldest and largest private nonprofit health care system
8.6 million members — 6.5 million members in California
Over 13,000 physicians representing all specialties and 153,000+ additional employees
Operations in 9 states and Washington, D.C. with 37 Medical Centers and 431 Clinics

3. Key Elements of KP’s Food Policy
Ensure healthy food in and around KP facilities
Inpatient food
Cafeterias and coffee carts
Vending machines
Catering
Farmers markets
Twin goals
Promote a healthy food environment for our members, employees, physicians and KP communities
Promote a healthy environment through sustainable agriculture
Build on KP’s heritage in health promotion and success of environmental stewardship in “making the market”

4. Why Focus on Food?
Importance of the food and physical environment on overweight and obesity-related disease
Increased attention to food practices of healthcare organizations
Nexus of issues/opportunities
Community food security
Environmental health
Personal health for farmworkers and consumers
Activity-promoting urban forms

5. How We Got Here: A Convergence of Interests, Opportunities and Imperatives
Healthy Eating, Active Living (HEAL)
Initiatives
Thrive Campaign
Weight
Management
Initiative
KP Farmers’
Markets
KP’s Comprehensive
Food Policy
Grassroots advocacy
by KP physicians,
employees
Environmental
Stewardship
Council
CA Gov’s
Obesity
Summit
Procurement
And Supply
Employee
Wellness

6. Who Is Leading the Charge?
Physicians
RDs and health educators
Community benefit leaders
Food service directors
Procurement managers
Administrative assistants

7. The Environmental Stewardship Council has brought the pieces together
Food Policy Steering Committee
Develop vision, guiding principles
Ensure coordination
Support implementation
KP Food Workgroup
Inpatient food
Cafeterias, vending, catering
Community Food Workgroup
Farmers’ markets
Community gardens
Vending
Subgroup
Technical Assistance and Support
Healthcare Without Harm
Broadlane
Prevention Institute
Center for Food and Justice
Community Alliance with Family Farmers
IATP
PSR
Food Alliance

8. Who We’ve Engaged Food and Nutritional Service managers
National Procurement and Supply
Environmental Health and Safety managers
Operations Support Leaders
Weight Management Network and CVD Advisory Group
Food policy leads designated by med group leaders (ongoing)
Permanente Federation leaders
Employee Wellness Inter-Regional Peer Group
CHI Inter-Regional Workgroup
Labor-Management Partnership Leadership Team
Inter-Regional Nursing Council
Health Education Peer Group Chairs
National Materials Leadership Team
NFS/Capital Projects and Planning and Design Group
Other interested groups and individuals

10. Progress to Date: Community Food
32 farmers markets in 5 states
Clinical integration
Farm-to-facility initiatives
Interstate Farmers Market (Portland)
Produce Packs (Oakland)

14. Progress to Date: KP Food
Healthy Picks vending program
Sustainable and healthy cafeteria food
rBGH free dairy
Seasonal menu planning
Northern California local sourcing pilot
RFI/RFP for KP’s national food contract

15. KP/CAFF Local Sourcing Pilot: Preliminary Data
Northern CA Inpatient Food Stats:
250 tons of fresh produce/year
6,000 meals/day; 1/3 fresh produce
Environmental Impact:
Carbon emissions: tons/6.34 tons “overshoot”
Carbon footprint: 260 acres
Estimated emissions reduction from modest seasonal menu shift: 20%

16. National Food Purchasing and Labeling Guidelines: RFI/RFP
Offer Third Party certified foods?
COOL labeling?
State/county of origin or preferential local sourcing program?
Seasonality, by state?
Threatened fish stocks?
Annual reporting on OSHA, CWA, CAA violations for meat and poultry producers?
Plans to track environmental and community health impacts of suppliers (e.g., non-therapeutic antibiotic use, hormone use, violations, labor practices)?
% of hog and cattle needs purchased on open market?
Nutritional content/screening of products?
Description of bio-based packaging and food service supplies?

17. The Road Ahead Release of RFI/RFA Completion of local sourcing pilot
Fiscal impacts
Scalability
Reliability
Farmers market evaluation/sustainability plans
Systematic learning about innovative practices