CDM, CFPP of the Month - March 2023
Name: Erica Frame, CDM, CFPP
Job Title: CDM, CFPP
Employer: Life Care Center of Tullahoma
Job Location: Tullahoma, Tennessee
Years at Current Facility: Less than a year
Years in Current Position: 6 years
CDM Since: 2016Why did you decide to become a CDM, CFPP?
Meeting the needs of others is a passion and a calling for me. Meeting someone’s nutritional needs is the top priority of my team and myself. Great nutrition plays an importance role in the health of our patients.
What are your main responsibilities in your current position?
Directing the daily operations of the Food Service department, visiting patients, charting in the medical record, scheduling, inventory, ensuring great customer service is given, etc.
How do you organize your time at work to make sure you accomplish all your responsibilities?
Setting a schedule and routine is key but sometimes things change so I focus on the task at hand and follow policies and procedures.
What was your first job in the foodservice industry?
I started as a Dietary Aide.
Who has been your biggest mentor in foodservice and how have they helped shape your career?
The dietitians that I have worked with are phenomenal professionals. My biggest mentors, have been each one of them.What are the biggest challenges you face in your position and how do you handle them?
Staffing can be a challenge. I lead by example and promote teamwork and team building. When you have a great team, the challenges aren’t as challenging.
What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of my job is meeting the nutritional needs of my residents and seeing their nutritional health improve and satisfaction they receive from the meals they are served.
How do you stay up to date with current innovations and trends?
I stay up to date with current innovations and trends from ANFP online, EDGE Magazine and my fellow CDM, CFPP peer groups.
How do you envision the foodservice industry changing in the next few years?
I see the Foodservice industry becoming more efficient, getting on board with food and equipment trends and becoming the center of a patient’s experience when receiving care.
What is your advice to those just getting started in the foodservice industry?
My advice to anyone just getting started in this industry would be to ask questions, stay up to date on current innovations and trends, keep moving forward, lead by example, listen to all concerns and address them immediately and know that you make a difference.