title: Computer integration and time spent on direct patient nutritional care activities in an outpatient dialysis setting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare time spent in patient and administrative activities by nutrition professionals in a group of dialysis facilities, and relate differences to the degree of computer integration at the sites and between 2 time periods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey design, self-administered activity form, completed in 1992 and 1997.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three of the largest outpatient dialysis centers in western Washington state.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten nutrition professionals completed the activity forms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Activity form (recording time), questionnaire (results not reported here).
  
  
  METHODS
  Amount of time spent on administrative activities in 1997 and the number of patients and number of hours per nutrition professional per month spent with patients in 1997, compared with 1992.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Time spent on administrative activities decreased in all facilities since 1992, with the largest decrease at the unit having the most computer integration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Extensive computer integration seems to allow for a decrease in the amount of time spent on administrative activities by nutrition professionals.
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Sciences Program, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Berlin
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wilkens
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cheney
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003201:Computers; D004046:Dietetics; D006801:Humans; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D005791:Patient Care; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors