Patient Outcome Metrics: The Missing Piece of Inpatient Staffing

Dietitian staffing remains an area with little data to influence hospital administrators or guide clinical nutrition managers' decision-making. Simple staffing ratios based on number of beds, patient acuity or peer benchmarking have long been the norm. Current workforce challenges have amplified the need for appropriate staffing matched to dietitian responsibilities and raised the bar for quality evidence-based staffing metrics.

In this session, we explore new evidence forging the connection between dietetics staffing levels and patient outcomes. Thanks to a new nationwide inpatient study, we now have data illustrating the relationship between time spent by a registered dietitian nutritionist on medical nutrition therapy, patient outcomes and administrative data. This session shares data and practical resources to help you assess your own staffing levels using these exciting results and incorporate study findings to optimize staffing at your facility.

CPE Level: Level 2 (intermediate knowledge/experience)
CPEU: 1.0

Performance Indicators

• 12.1.2 Leads or participates in the development of food and health policies.
• 7.4.6 Analyzes data to identify trends and improvements and to determine cost-effectiveness of nutrition-related clinical care, or to support the delivery of health, food and nutrition services.
• 4.2.7 Identifies and implements a plan to address opportunities and challenges.

Learning Objectives

• Describe how inpatient staffing and patient outcome data was collected and measured.
• Explain the relationship between dietitian time and patient outcomes in acute care settings.
• Apply staffing study results to optimize your hospital's staffing plan

Moderator

• Ainsley Malone

Speakers

• Rosa Hand
• Barbara Lusk