Hospital Makes Cut in Waste

PALMERSTON North Hospital’s nutrition support team is cutting the waste of intravenous food by customising what patients need.

In 2002, before the team was set up, 105 patients were treated with intravenous nutrition, and 63 units of the product were wasted at a cost of $16,000.

Last year the team cut waste to 21 bags, even though more patients received intravenous support.

This year so far just six bags have been wasted at a cost of $1376.

The team of pharmacist Lorraine Welman, dietitian Nicola Gunson, anaesthetist Rob Whitta and nurse clinician Catherine O’Hara are working closely to identify people needing nutritional support sooner rather than later and to custom build their recipe.

“Previously there was no organised response and we sould have supplied the same formula for an 80-year-old 50kg woman as a 25- year-old fit young man,” Ms Gunson said.

Dr Whitta said the system works well when people need a little more or less than the standard, and when a little extra ingredient, such as potassium, can be added.

The goal is to intervene early and help ensure people are as well as possible before surgery or chemotherapy, rather than have a long, slow process of rebuilding once they become nutritionally deprived.

The goal is better outcomes for patients.

But Dr Whitta said while cost savings can be measured, it will take time to prove that the new approach is reducing infection rates and helping people get out of hospital sooner.