Hospitals, as well as clinics focused on obesity, gynaecology clinics and diabetes, play a crucial role in promoting healthy dietary practices and managing specific medical conditions, and this has led to the emergence of innovative food labelling technologies to enable transparency and empower patients with accurate information.
The need for food transparency
Besides promoting healthy eating habits, food transparency helps medical experts identify health conditions and provide effective patient care. Transparent food labelling further allows patients to make informed choices, track their dietary intake, and manage their health conditions more efficiently.
Software for dietary analysis
Web-based software solutions have transformed the way food-related data is collected, analysed, and communicated, giving hospitals and clinics the opportunity to collaborate with food companies and effectively gain essential information about their products. The data gathered includes nutritional content, ingredients, allergen warnings, and any other pertinent details necessary for patients to make informed decisions about their dietary choices.
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Zebra Technologies, for instance, is working with companies like Dedalus SRD and Foodintech to track hospital meals and workflow improvement through a mobile device or computer. The AI-based platform can trigger an alert, calculate food waste, optimise food quantity, and correlate with dietician’s recommendation or prescription.
Data management and analysis
The integration of web-based software with food labelling systems enables hospitals and clinics to efficiently manage and analyse vast amounts of data, giving healthcare professionals the ability to assess the nutritional value of food items, identify potential allergens or harmful ingredients, and track patients’ dietary patterns accurately. These data-driven insights can help prepare treatment plans tailored to individual needs.
Encouraging self-management among patients
Transparent food labelling empowers patients to actively participate in their healthcare journey. By providing easily accessible and accurate information, hospitals and clinics can foster a sense of ownership and responsibility among patients. This, in turn, encourages self-management, adherence to dietary recommendations, and the overall improvement of patient health outcomes.
Collaboration between healthcare facilities and food companies
To achieve maximum transparency in food labelling, it is essential for hospitals and clinics to collaborate closely with food companies. Web-based software solutions facilitate this partnership by offering a platform for effective communication and data sharing. By working together, healthcare facilities and food companies can ensure that accurate and up-to-date information is readily available to patients, creating a more transparent and trustworthy food ecosystem.
