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The Nutrition Support Team

The delivery of nutrition support is a multidisciplinary, specialized practice which is utilized for almost all types of patients and extends beyond the hospital into alternative care sites such as long-term care facilities and homes. Differences in hospital size, patient population, healthcare delivery setting, local expertise, organizational structure and financial payment relationships dictate that there cannot be a single safe and effective system for providing nutrition support. Certain clinical activities are generally expected to reside in specific departments.

One well-established model for providing nutrition support is the Nutrition Support Team (NST) (1,2). In its Standards, A.S.P.E.N. defines the NST as, “A multi-disciplinary group of health care professionals with expertise in nutrition who aid in the provision of nutrition support.” While all of the functions of a formal NST relative to patient care need to be performed, an NST is but one organizational approach to meet nutrition needs of patients. Dr. John Wesley has previously summarized the role and the perceived cost-effective benefits of nutrition support teams (1). 

  • Recognition and treatment of malnutrition
  • Reduction of mechanical and metabolic complications of enteral and parenteral nutrition
  • Reduction of morbidity and mortality
  • Reduction in the cost of providing nutrition support by facilitating the appropriate use of enteral and parenteral therapies
  • Provision for more cost-effective selection of products
  • Reduction in costly wastage of formula
  • Selection of appropriate nutrition support equipment and devices
  • Reduction in length of stay and costs to the hospital
  • Reduction in liability exposure
  • Selection and monitoring of appropriate laboratory test

While other models may meet the needs of particular environments, the NST can be viewed as the de facto gold standard for delivering nutrition support.

References:

  1. Wesley JR. Nutrition support teams: past, present, and future. Nutr Clin Pract 1995; 10(6):219-228.
  2. JCAHO. 2004 Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Hospitals: The Official Handbook (CAMH). Oakbrook Terrace, IL, 2004.
Mission (Back)
  1. To be able to provide correct and adequate nutrition support to the patient whether in or outpatient through a multidisciplinary approach using the current and best practice of nutrition management
  2. To be able to empower all members of the multidisciplinary nutrition support caregivers through continuing medical education either through seminars, symposiums, or invited experts or through a formal nutrition support training program.
Vision (Back)
  1. To be able to establish nutrition support teams in every major medical center of the country by the year 2008.
  2. To be able to establish a nutrition training program which satisfies all international standard requirements with a specialty credentialing body making sure there is the highest quality of graduates from this program by the year 2006
  3. To be able to obtain just compensation for the caregivers and patients given nutritional support from the national and private health insurance systems.
There is only 7% (6/83) of functioning nutrition support teams in the Philippines and these are present only in Luzon

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