Sustainable Meat in Hospitals: A new case study from Health Care Without Harm

The Healthy Food in Health Care program of Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) recently developed a case study report of several hospitals reducing their meat or substituting for more sustainable meat. 

Health Care's Commitment to Sustainable Meat Procurement: Four Case Studies

Background: Hospitals have become concerned about antibiotics-use in animal agriculture as a result of the growth of antibiotics-resistant infections found in humans, many of which are increasingly and scientifically being linked to the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in conventional meat production. The public and private hospitals featured in this report have each demonstrated a preference for meat raised without the routine use of antibiotics, or have reduced the availability of meat-based options in their food service for environmental and health reasons. This report details their successes and challenges.

Additional resources: For more information and resources about meat reduction in health care, enroll in HHI's Healthier Food Challenge and commit to the Balanced Menus Challenge, which asks hospitals to commit to a 20% reduction in meat and poultry purchases. For more information about healthy food in health care, contact a local HCWH regional organizer.