Organization of managed clinical networking for home parenteral nutrition.
OBJECTIVE
Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is an established treatment for intestinal failure, and organization of HPN is variable throughout the UK and Europe. Managed clinical networking is the single most important feature of the UK National Health Service strategy for acute services in Scotland and has the potential to improve the management of HPN patients. This review addresses the role of managed clinical networking in HPN and compares outcome data between centres.


RESULTS
The Scottish HPN Managed Clinical Network has published the main body of the current literature supporting the concept of managed clinical networking in this context. The Network is responsible for the organization and quality assurance of HPN provision in Scotland, and has been established for 5 years. It has captured significant patient data for the purpose of clinical audit and illustrates that this is an effective model for the management of this patient population.


CONCLUSIONS
This review provides advice for other areas wishing to improve equity of access, and to smooth the patient journey between primary, secondary and tertiary health care in the context of artificial nutrition support.
Baxter
Janet P
JP
Scottish Home Parenteral Nutrition Managed Clinical Network, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK. janet.p.baxter@tuht.scot.nhs.uk
McKee
Ruth F
RF
D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005060:Europe; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D016331:Parenteral Nutrition, Home; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012606:Scotland; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D006113:United Kingdom