In an exciting turn of events, Čakovec County Hospital has become the first hospital in Croatia to join the prestigious Healthy Meal Standard (HMS) certification system. This groundbreaking move aims to significantly improve the quality of patient meals, setting a new standard in healthcare nutrition that other hospitals are encouraged to follow.
Healthy Meal Standard (HMS) is an international standard for managing food categories in public institutions. It ensures that institutions across various sectors—including schools, kindergartens, hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, and wellness centers—provide food tailored to specific dietary needs within a safe environment. This internationally recognized standard is certified and carries a protected warranty mark, renewed every three years, symbolizing excellence in nutrition management.
At Čakovec County Hospital, the project was successfully launched with the implementation of the Healthy Meal Standard, starting with the Department of Gynecology and Maternity, which has so far included over 1,000 patients. The director of Čakovec County Hospital, Dr. Igor Šegović, together with Međimurje County Prefect Matija Posavec and the leaders of the Healthy Meal Standard—nutritionist Diana Gluhak Spajić and RED FORK director Branimir Spajić—led the presentation of the project.
Significant progress has already been made at Čakovec County Hospital, where culinary innovations have been introduced in the Department of Gynecology and Maternity. The kitchen has been upgraded with new small equipment and appliances that facilitate the preparation and maintenance of cooked meals. The culinary staff has been trained under the watchful eye of Master Chef Zoran Delić, who is also a member of the Healthy Meal Standard expert team.
Starting next year, pâtés and hot dogs will be eliminated hospital-wide; the variety of bread will be increased by 40%; teas will be brewed exclusively in loose-leaf form, eliminating instant teas; and the variety of jams, fruits, and pasta will be increased by over 40%.
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As part of the implementation of the Healthy Meal Standard system, an anonymous survey was conducted in collaboration with Čakovec County Hospital to assess patient satisfaction. In the survey, patients gave a very high satisfaction rating for the meals: 4.77 out of a possible 5.0.
Below are some of the anonymous comments from patients regarding the new meals at Čakovec County Hospital:
• “I’m positively surprised by everything—the taste, portion size, variety of ingredients, and presentation. I’m not in a restaurant, but this exceeded all my expectations in the best possible way!!!”
• Everything is excellent! The vegetarian meals are better than what you can find in most city restaurants.
• Everything is great, and I have no complaints.
• You don’t get food this tasty even in some of our restaurants.
• I took a photo of every meal, especially the first one! When it was served, I actually thought by mistake I had received someone else’s plate that wasn’t meant for me as a patient.
• The meals are of higher quality than they were a few years ago.
• This is already a significant improvement.
Director Šegović emphasized the hospital’s ongoing efforts to improve patient accommodation and staff working conditions. Special attention was given to the introduction of enhanced nutritional standards in the Department of Gynecology and Maternity—a move that has already received positive feedback from both patients and hospital staff. He also announced plans to expand this standard to all departments of the hospital in the near future.
Master of Nutrition Science Diana Gluhak Spajić Nutritionist Diana Gluhak Spajić explained that the implementation of the Healthy Meal Standard in the hospital involves a series of steps to maintain quality. These steps range from procurement planning, staff and chef training, crisis and general communication, and compliance with laws and regulations, to the creation of menu books and standards, all the way to meal service. She emphasized that hospital nutrition is now fully aligned with the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and the Croatian Institute of Public Health.
Međimurje County Prefect Matija Posavec Međimurje County Prefect Matija Posavec expressed pride that Međimurje is once again leading the way in Croatia—this time by setting a new standard in nutritional care at Čakovec County Hospital. He emphasized the importance of healthy nutrition as a key preventive factor and announced the potential expansion of this model not only to other departments of Čakovec County Hospital but also to kindergartens and schools across Međimurje County. The Prefect supports the project, which began in May and has already included around 1,000 patients under the Healthy Meal Standard.
