An audit of the provision of parenteral nutrition in two acute hospitals: team versus non-team.

Studies have indicated that provision of artificial nutritional support services by a multidisciplinary nutrition support team results in significant health benefits and cost savings. An audit was conducted to compare the provision of parenteral nutrition in two hospitals, one with a nutrition support team and one without, with published standards for nutritional care. In the hospital with the nutrition support team there was greater use of nutritional assessment, the energy content of prescribed regimens and energy intake of patients was closer to estimated requirements and the incidence of some metabolic complications was lower. It has been recommended that a nutrition support team should be formed in the hospital that currently has no such facility.