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Abstract

Nutritional assessment for home health care patients has commonly been perceived as an unnecessary and unbillable service. However, just as hospitals have implemented nutrition screening programs, home care agencies can use similar screening methods to identify and treat those patients at potential nutritional risk. Addressing nutritional deficiencies and making appropriate treatment recommendations can improve overall patient outcomes. This article describes the process that one home care agency took in developing and implementing nutritional services. The discussion will include successes and pitfalls experienced along the way as well as some valuable recommendations for other agencies to use in implementing their own nutrition service.

Keywords

anthropometric measurements continuum of care dietary recall electronic charting high-risk nutrition diagnoses home care nutrition home health care nutrition screening initiative outcomes database performance improvement

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