Registered Dietitian

Answer: B - A decentralized system of food production is best suited to a large hospital with patient care centers spread over a large area. In this type of system food is prepared in a main kitchen and then transported in bulk to patient care centers, where trays are assembled and delivered. This ensures that food is kept hot and that the right number of trays and types of meals are assembled and delivered to each patient site. In a centralized system trays are set up in one main assembly area, and then distributed to the different patient centers from a common area. In a commissary system food is prepared, assembled, and served in satellite areas. In the assembly and serve method food is prepared and purchased from a vendor; no work is done at the site where the food is served. The centralized, commissary, and assembly and serve methods present potential problems with coordinating timely delivery as well as increased expense of food preparation.