Evaluating an enteral nutrition formulary.
Two hundred registered dietitians in health care facilities in the United States were surveyed to ascertain practices in enteral nutrition formulary management. A random selection of members of the Clinical Nutrition Management Dietetic Practice Group of The American Dietetic Association comprised the sample population. The response rate was 74%. The facilities were typically private, nonprofit, acute-care, with a capacity of 201 to 500 beds. Dietetic departments were primarily responsible for procuring, preparing, and distributing enteral nutrition formulas, Physicians, however, primarily initiated orders for formulas. Approximately 15% of hospitalized patients required enteral nutrition formulas, yet modular formulas were rarely used. More than 75% of the facilities utilized enteral nutrition formularies. Ninety-five percent of dietitians believed that establishing objective criteria for evaluating enteral nutrition formulas was important. Cost-containment through decreased product duplication, staff education, inventory management, and quantity ordering advantages were cited as motivating factors in criteria development. Osmolarity, lactose content, and product availability were identified as being the most important criteria in enteral product evaluation. The costs of enteral formulas were included in the standard room rate when the dietetics department was responsible for procuring and supplying enteral formulas. Patients were billed directly when the pharmacy department was responsible for purchasing or supplying enteral products. This study provides data from which a model may be developed to guide health care professionals in enteral formulary decision making.
Coffey
L M
LM
Department of Clinical Investigation, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20307-5000.
Carey
M
M
D004046:Dietetics; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000191:economics; D005249:Fees and Charges; D005526:Food, Formulated / Q000191:economics; D005569:Formularies as Topic; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D009934:Organization and Administration; D014481:United States