Impact of room service on nutritional intake, plate and production waste, meal quality and patient satisfaction and meal costs: A single site pre‐post evaluation. Issue 2 (4th October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Neaves, Bianca; Bell, Jack J.; McCray, Sally
• Is Part Of: Nutrition & dietetics. Volume 79:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 187
• Page End: 196
• Publication Date: 2021-10-04
• Subjects: costs -- foodservice -- nutritional intake -- room service -- satisfaction -- waste; Nutrition -- Periodicals; Dietetics -- Periodicals; 613.205
• DOI: 10.1111/1747-0080.12705
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1446-6368

Abstract

Abstract: Aim: Room service is a patient‐focused foodservice model gaining interest in Australian hospitals following demonstrated patient and organisational benefits. This study aimed to compare nutritional intake, waste, patient satisfaction, meal costs and meal quality between a bought‐in, thaw‐retherm foodservice model and a cook‐fresh, on‐demand room service model at a large tertiary public hospital. Methods: A retrospective analysis of quality assurance data compared thaw‐retherm to room service. Nutritional intake and plate waste were measured using a visual intake analysis tool; production waste was measured using weighted analysis methodology; patient satisfaction was measured using a validated patient satisfaction survey; meal quality was assessed using a validated meal quality audit tool, and meal costs were obtained from hospital finance reports. Independent sample t ‐tests or nonparametric equivalent (Mann‐Whitney U ‐test) for continuous variables and Pearson's Chi‐square for categorical data were applied for comparative purposes. Results: Average energy and protein intake, as well as percentage requirements met, improved between thaw‐retherm and room service (4320 kJ/day vs 7265 kJ/day; 42.4 g/day vs 82.5 g/day; and 46% vs 80.7%; 49.9% vs 98.4%; all P < .001. Reductions in plate waste (40% vs 15%) and production waste (15% vs 5.6%, P < .001) were observed and food costs decreased by 9% with room service. Meal quality audit results improved, and patient satisfaction increased with % respondents satisfied increasing from 75.0% to 89.8% (χ 2 9.985[2]; P = .007) for room service. Conclusions: This research demonstrates significant improvements in patient and organisational outcomes with room service compared to a thaw‐retherm model in a large public hospital.