HospitalInspections.org

Based on observation, review of food temperature sheets, policy and procedures, and staff interview the dietary services failed to monitor and maintain acceptable food temperatures for breakfast meats being served throughout the day. The hospital food service averages 660 meals served per day

Failure to monitor and maintain acceptable food temperatures for breakfast meats served throughout the day could potentially result in poor quality foods and food borne illness outbreaks to the patients receiving the food.

Findings include:

1. Observation on 9/6/16 at 1:30 p.m. and 9/7/16 at 12:00 p.m., revealed Staff A and B, Cooks, served the noon meal. Both observations revealed breakfast meats (bacon, sausage patties and sausage links) being served at the noon meal. The hospital offers a meal service menu that allows for any items on the menu to be served at anytime during the day.
On 9/7/16 at 12:00 p.m., Staff B measured the temperature of the breakfast meats in the holding unit. The sausage patties temperature registered 136 degrees, and the sausage links registered 130 degrees. Staff B removed the items from the holding unit and discarded them, due to temperature being below 140 degrees.

2. Review of the daily temperatures recorded in the Managers Red Book revealed food temperatures are taken and recorded daily. The temperatures taken are of standard items being served daily and not all foods that are served. Temperatures are only taken during established time frames for the meal they are associated with. An example being the sausage links and patties temperatures are only taken at 6:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m., and 10:30 a.m.; the log lacks specifics as to what type of sausage temperature is being recorded. Review of Nutrition and Food Service Policy and Procedures titled Food Temperatures dated 3/16, reads in part...All food is to be prepared, held and served within the appropriate ranges. Temperatures are to be taken prior to the start of the line and corrected if necessary, before service begins. Temperatures are to be recorded and taken randomly throughout the meal service.

3. During an interview on 9/7/16 at 12:00 p.m., with Staff C, Kitchen Manager, revealed the kitchen lacked documentation of additional food temperatures for foods being served other than what was available in the Managers Red Book.