Organization of the Dietetic Service in a Hospital

Organization of the Dietetic Service in a Hospital - on the Ward or Centralized?

In Denmark the dieticians can be organized centrally and called upon if needed, or locally in larger units, or very locally related to bed-units. The organization form is based on tradition not on measurements of quality. We wanted to compare the very local form with the traditional centralized.

Methods: Randomized, unblinded, parallel design. The intervention group (IT) was nutritionally handled by the dietician, and the control group (C) by the nurses as previously with the possibility for dietetic help from the center.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Malnutrition; Nutritional Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Nutritional assessment and therapy; Procedure: Standard care

Detailed Description

All patients were screened by NRS-2002 and had their estimated needs calculated (equations in IT, tables in C). The IT was in addition assessed for adapted weight-loss, counseled with a plan for nutrition and followed-up daily by the dietician if at nutritional risk. All patients were re-screened weekly and had their intake registered. Hand-grib-strength (HGS) was measured in both groups at admittance and discharge, and weight three times weekly.

The primary endpoint was re-admission rate to hospital within 2 months.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 33
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• adult
• acutely admitted to hospital

Exclusion Criteria:

• dementia
• unable to comply with the protocol

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Dietetic service; Nutritional assessment and therapy by dietitian throughout the hospital stay	Procedure: Nutritional assessment and therapy; Nutritional screening, nutritional plan, follow-up and instructions on discharge
Placebo Comparator: standard care; Nutritional handling by nurses supported by a dietician if needed	Procedure: Standard care; Nutritional handling by nurse

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
re-admission-rate after discharge (%)	admission for the same diagnosis	2 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
intake of protein during hospital stay	% of estimated needs	1 week
intake of energy during hospital stay	% of estimated needs	1 week

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Jens Rikardt Andersen

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 18, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 25, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): April 22, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 18, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 27, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): July 10, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 16, 2018
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 12, 2018
• Last Verified: July 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: dietitic service, organization of service
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Malnutrition; Nutrition Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: H-15004856

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No