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Food-Service-Manual-for-Health-Care-Institutions

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<strong>Food</strong> <strong>Service</strong> <strong>Manual</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Care</strong> <strong>Institutions</strong><br />

258<br />

Figure 9.3. Proportion of Registered Dietitian’s Time Spent on Various Tasks<br />

Research<br />

Education<br />

of Others<br />

3%<br />

7%<br />

10%<br />

Self-<br />

Development<br />

20%<br />

Indirect<br />

Patient <strong>Care</strong><br />

Management Activities<br />

5%<br />

55%<br />

Direct<br />

Patient <strong>Care</strong><br />

The second consideration in establishing cost-effective nutrition services is to ensure that<br />

the job responsibility is matched to the appropriate skill level of individuals on the team. For<br />

example, the dietitian should per<strong>for</strong>m more complex nutrition intervention activities while<br />

dietetic technicians are available to conduct assessments and diet instructions. The dietitian and<br />

dietetic technician need not be used to per<strong>for</strong>m the initial screening of patients <strong>for</strong> an existing<br />

or potential nutritional risk. This task is easily per<strong>for</strong>med by a C.D.M. using a designated<br />

screening protocol.<br />

The third aspect the nutrition care manager should consider when assessing the costefficiency<br />

of staff utilization is determining the benefits associated with the nutrition intervention<br />

offered. Quality assessment must be done to determine whether patient outcome is<br />

improved by providing the service. Cost-benefit analysis is a method commonly used to assess<br />

whether the benefit of a particular product or program is greater than the cost of providing it.<br />

Although this technique works effectively <strong>for</strong> services with a direct charge attached, it is less<br />

effective in evaluating nutrition-related programs.<br />

Nutrition intervention should provide a positive outcome <strong>for</strong> the patient and improve the<br />

quality of life. Many nutrition intervention programs are being designed to prevent long-term<br />

illnesses and to keep individuals from using the health care system unnecessarily. To measure<br />

the benefit of these types of programs, a cost-effective analysis is needed. Conducting a costeffective<br />

analysis also identifies the cost of the service or program in monetary terms. The benefits,<br />

such as decreased length of stay or improved quality of life, are identified as outcomes <strong>for</strong><br />

the patient and the organization.

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