Hospitals feel pressure to part ways with fast food

News outlets report on how a corporate watchdog group is pressing a Minneapolis hospital to get rid of its on-site McDonald's while a Kansas City, Mo., hospital is also working in this direction.

Minnesota Public Radio: Corporate Watchdog Group: Get Rid Of Hospital McDonald's Restaurants
Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis is one of 22 hospitals across the country being asked to get rid of its McDonald's restaurant. ... Abbott has had a McDonald's since 1990 and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When the hospital contracted with McDonald's, it was the only vendor willing to negotiate a menu with healthier options, said Abbott Northwestern spokeswoman Gloria O'Connell. O'Connell said Abbott has a long-term agreement with McDonald's that has a costly buy-out option (Dunbar, 4/11). 

Kaiser Health News: Capsules: Fast Food' Slow Exit From Hospitals
On one side of a wall inside the Truman Medical Center cafeteria in Kansas City, Mo., the menu features low-calorie, low-fat and low-sodium meals. On the other side of the wall is a McDonald's, featuring hamburgers and french fries. The pairing is a sore point for hospital CEO John Bluford who, as chair last year of the American Hospital Association, issued a call to action urging hospitals to eliminate unhealthy food in cafeterias as one way to create a culture of wellness (Gordon, 4/12).