What if hospitals prescribed food — by default? Patrick Deckers believes they should. As an orthopaedic surgeon and founder of Caring Doctors, Patrick is helping healthcare shift from treating disease to preventing it. Caring Doctors is a fast-growing NGO of healthcare professionals supporting hospitals and universities in making plant-based food the default option. Not as a niche. As the norm.

From his daily experience in the operating room, Patrick sees the impact of preventable non-communicable diseases — from obesity and type 2 diabetes to cardiovascular conditions, cancer and joint disorders. He is convinced that a predominantly plant-based food system can significantly reduce this burden and improve long-term health outcomes. Through advocacy, collaboration and practical implementation, he works to embed food system change directly into healthcare environments.