Patients weigh themselves or are weighed by a carer. This reading is sent by a communication channel of choice back to the healthcare professional.
In care homes, the Inhealthcare Professional app can be used to input patient readings.
Questions around oral nutritional supplement (ONS) compliance and appetite are analysed using the MUST screening tool and patients at risk of undernutrition are flagged.
The undernutrition service acts as an early warning system, highlighting deterioration in health and ONS compliance early. At Southern Health and Social Care Trust, the undernutrition service reduced the average length of time residents were prescribed ONS as their nutritional health improved.
The service improves coordination between dietitians, care homes and primary care as well as improving visibility of each resident’s health.
A reduction in the frequency of home visits from specialist dietitians to make routine assessments reduces travel costs and increases the capacity of the dietetic teams.