Supporting Healthcare Workers with 24/7 Fresh Food: The Role of Checkout-Free

How Checkout-Free Technology Enhances Wellness for Hospital Staff and Patients

Hospital staff are vital to the health and safety of our communities. Doctors, nurses, aids, and others work grueling hours to provide all of us 24/7 access to the care we need. Yet, a global pandemic, long and irregular hours, and stressful working conditions have led many workers to leave the profession. Those who stay face understaffing, poor work/life balance, and limited access to healthy foods. It’s not surprising that a recent study found 65% of healthcare workers were overweight or obese, which puts some of our most important workers at risk.

While hospitals operate all hours of the day and night, their cafeterias do not. Prior to the pandemic, their cafeterias typically were open from 6AM to 6PM on weekdays and 7AM to 12PM on weekends. Hours have been cut dramatically since then, primarily due to staffing shortages. Now it’s common for hospital cafeterias to only open during mealtime on weekdays (6-10 AM, 11PM - 2PM, 4-6PM) and very limited hours on weekends- if open at all. This change isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a public health concern.

“A night shift has a huge negative impact on both the amount and quality of nutrients consumed by emergency healthcare workers.” NIH.GOV

These limited cafeteria hours leaves frontline workers who work long hours faced with bringing food from home, having food delivered (if anything is open), or relying on vending machines, which are typically filled with unhealthy snacks, sodas, and candy. A few candy bars or chips are hardly enough to make a meal out of. Hospital staff aren’t the only people impacted. Family and visitors also face extremely limited food options during off hours, a situation that can be exacerbated if they’re already coping with the stress of an ill family member or friend.  

Zippin checkout-free technology is an ideal way to close this gap and contribute to the improved well-being and productivity for hospital staff. By offering 24/7 access to fresh, nutritious meals, hospitals can ensure that both staff and visitors have unlimited access to healthier food choices. This not only promotes better health but also addresses a critical issue for healthcare workers: staff retention. Improving food access can contribute to a more supportive work environment, helping to reduce burnout and improve job satisfaction.

With Zippin, guests enter the store with a credit card, while hospital staff could scan  their employee IDs to enter, which would apply any discounts. Once inside the store, overhead cameras keep track of what people pick up or put back. As shoppers exit the store, their final bill is tallied based on what they take and they are automatically billed. It’s that easy. Unlike self-checkout options that require shoppers to scan their items or download an app, with checkout-free there’s nothing for shoppers to do except shop naturally.

Incorporating checkout-free technology could revolutionize the dining experience in hospitals. Instead of being limited to vending machines, doctors and nurses could access fresh, nutritious meals 24/7, contributing to better health and higher morale. Plus, checkout-free stores could serve patients and their families, offering healthier choices outside regular cafeteria hours, which have been shrinking due to labor shortages.

“Due to abundant availability of unhealthy foods and beverages, hospital consumer food environments scored low on observations using the Hospital Nutritional Environmental Scan (HNES)” NIH.GOV

Zippin-powered stores can operate without staffing so they can stay open 24/7 to serve anyone at any time. The technology supports just about any type of merchandise - prepared hot foods, grab-and-go meals or snacks, refrigerated items like salads or yogurt, frozen foods, and even self-service coffee and other drinks. Because there’s no checkout terminal or self-checkout kiosk, even small stores have the space to stock a wide variety of items to serve a broad array of staff and visitors. 

As hospitals continue to navigate challenges in healthcare delivery, adopting advanced, labor-efficient solutions like Zippin's technology could significantly improve both staff retention and patient care. By focusing on accessibility, quality, and convenience, hospitals can create a healthier, more supportive environment for everyone involved

To learn how Zippin’s checkout-free can help your hospital, contact us here.