Heartland Health Care Centers Introduce Heartland Meals-to-Go Program

TOLEDO, Ohio, April 22, 2019­­ /PRNewswire/ -- Heartland Health Care Centers of Greater Detroit, part of the ProMedica not-for-profit, mission-based health and well-being organization, announced last week the launch of Heartland Meals-to-Go program. This program was created to help bridge the food gap that many patients experience when returning home after a lengthy hospital and skilled nursing stay.

Each patient leaving a Detroit area Heartland center after a rehabilitation stay will be sent home with pre-packaged light meals. The meals meet most patients' dietary needs and have easy to follow instructions. The meals are Hormel VITAL CUISINE(TM) varieties that are specifically formulated for aiding in health recovery.

"When patients leave our center, they may be returning home without the support or resources to obtain food immediately. After being away from home for several weeks, any food they had at home could be spoiled or non-existent. Our goal with the Heartland Meals-to-Go program is to send patients home with nutritious food that will tide them over until they can get to the store, their support system is able to bring in meals or a third party entity (such as Meals on Wheels) is contacted to deliver meals," stated Rami Ubaydi, General Manager and Vice President for the Michigan Heartland facilities.

"We are so proud to partner with Heartland Health Care Centers of Greater Detroit to provide patients with nutritious and protein-packed meals to aid them in their recovery efforts," said Tim Garry, director of marketing at Hormel Health Labs. "Hormel VITAL CUISINE(TM) is the perfect meal option for individuals just returning home after a hospital stay."

For more than ten years ProMedica has been a leader in Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). One of the key SDOH that ProMedica has focused on is food insecurity - whether patients have food or ability to obtain food. Addressing food insecurity is a natural fit for the skilled nursing and rehabilitation side of the health system, as proper nutrition plays an important role in the healing process. "The Heartland centers have been top innovators in the skilled nursing industry, and we are excited to offer yet another aspect of care to the patients we serve. Being able to take care of our patients during their stay and once they return home is a responsibility we take very seriously. It helps us align with our managed care and health systems partners in meeting their goals to keep patients healthy and safe once they return home," said Mr. Ubaydi.

The first centers to launch the Heartland Meals-to-Go are located in Sterling Heights and Troy, Michigan. Expansion to the remainder of the Michigan facilities will begin several weeks later with a goal of the program being rolled out to communities served by ProMedica's skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers across the country.

ABOUT HEARTLAND HEALTH CARE CENTERS

Heartland Health Care Centers are part of HCR ManorCare, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ProMedica, a mission-based, not-for-profit integrated healthcare organization which includes a network of 13 hospitals, 2,600 physicians, a health plan, 400 skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers, memory care communities, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, home health and hospice agencies. Driven by its Mission to improve health and well-being, ProMedica has been nationally recognized for its advocacy programs and efforts to address social determinants of health. For more information about HCR ManorCare, please visit www.hcr-manorcare.com.

ABOUT HORMEL HEALTH LABS

The Hormel Health Labs team is passionate about improving people's lives through better food and nutrition. Our mission is to provide great-tasting, affordable and convenient nourishment when you need it most(TM). Whether you are a major healthcare center, a special care facility, a caregiver or an individual, we are here to provide quality, tasty dietary solutions. Learn more or explore our line of products at www.HormelHealthLabs.com.

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SOURCE HCR ManorCare