Newport News, June 26, 2018 - Riverside Health System is a winner of Premier Inc.’s annual Illuminating Excellence Award.
Antoinette (Toni) Watkins MS, RDN, System Director of Food and Nutrition Services for Riverside Health System was recognized by Premier, a leading health care improvement company, for her accomplishments and improvements in operations. This includes: patient/ resident/ student satisfaction scores; documented cost savings; activities that support the values and mission of the organization; membership in the Premier alliance; professional and community activities; and personal achievements in the last year.
Watkins and her team led the effort after Riverside transitioned Food Service back to in-house operation. “This recognition could not have been achieved without an awesome team and the support from senior leadership”, stated Watkins. “We have improved integration of our services within the entire the health system. We have stabilized our operations and now our focus is on the vision to provide outstanding food and nutrition services in order to improve the health and well-being of our patients and residents.”
Watkins was recognized on June 20 during Premier’s annual Foodservice Forum held in conjunction with its Breakthroughs Conference and Exhibition, which brought more than 4,000 provider and supplier attendees to Nashville, Tennessee.
“We’re honored to recognize Toni and her team for achieving sustainable improvements in facility operations. Her leadership within their organization has earned them the top honors,” said Debby Kasper, RDN, LDN, SNS, Director of Clinical Nutrition and Wellness Program Development, Premier. “She is improving foodservice offerings in her facilities, while enhancing the dining experience.”
Premier has the industry’s largest foodservice purchasing program, offering savings to providers across the U.S. The program provides aggressive contracts with foodservice manufacturers, industry leading value-added services, and educational opportunities.