As the expectations for healthcare foodservice keep mounting so, too, do the creative ways that operators like Dan and countless others across the industry continue to multiply.

If you ask the average person about innovation as it relates to healthcare, they will probably tell you about the latest medical breakthrough that they have heard about. From the ongoing emergence of bioengineering to advancements in gene therapy and robotic surgery, medical discovery continues to garner the headlines and be a regular part of our news cycle. And much of it is truly amazing.

With far less notoriety, exciting innovation continues to take place in the foodservice aspect of healthcare as well. To help shine the industry spotlight on the evolution taking place in healthcare foodservice, this issue of FE&S highlights five innovators who continue to raise the bar for the entire industry. With all that we have learned about the importance of nutrition to our overall wellness, the lasting effects of these improvements seem incredibly promising.

This year it has been my privilege to serve on the Industry Advisory Board for the Association for Healthcare Foodservice, whose annual meeting takes place the first week of June in Salt Lake City. Through this experience I have had the chance to get to know Dan Henroid from the UCSF Medical Center. Dan and his team have a great story of utilizing cutting-edge technology, including a robotic food delivery system, at their newly opened Mission Bay facility. Their story offers a window into the profound influence that technological advancement will undoubtedly have on foodservice operations moving into the future.

As the expectations for healthcare foodservice keep mounting so, too, do the creative ways that operators like Dan and countless others across the industry continue to multiply. For a closer look at the way healthcare foodservice operators keep rolling with changes, check out Creativity is the Cure for Healthcare Foodservice by Donna Boss.

I hope you will take the time to learn about all of the innovators and various other healthcare foodservice providers featured in this issue. Their stories can provide inspiration for future industry improvement and that kind of change can benefit all of us.