Page 46 - HA Convention 2016 [Abstracts (Day 1)]

HOSPITAL AUTHORITY CONVENTION 2016 Service Enhancement Presentations

F1.1 Service Revamp 13:15 Room 421

Food Wastage Management Programme in Day Service Settings of Pok Oi Hospital
Chan C 1, Tang V 2, Wong V 3, To KY 1, Leung H 2, Fu MF 2, Tsang ML 2, Lam WS 2, Chau WK1, Kong V 1
1Department of Ambulatory Services Centre and Mixed Specialty Ward, 2Department of Operating Theratre, 3Hospital Food

Services of Administrative Services Division, Pok Oi Hospital, Hong Kong

Tuesday, 3 May Introduction

According to internal audit, food wastage is relatively high among hospitals of the Hospital Authority. The reasons of high food
wastage were analysed and concluded. For Day Ward (DW) and Day Surgery Unit (DSU), patients admitted in the morning
and discharged before lunch, the meals of discharged patients however still be supplied by the catering as the Dietetic and
Catering Management Computer System (DCMS) cut-off time for lunch was passed. Secondly, as the diet supplying to
patients were preset automatically according to the setting of “default” or “history” in DCMS, patients had no choice for their
meals that might lead to wastage as the meal provided did not suit their taste. Lastly, there might be a lack of communication
between nurse and patients who admitted at noon. Patients might have lunch already before admission or lunch provided
might not suit at all. All the above three factors consequently lead to high food wastage in DW & DSU in Pok Oi Hospital.

Objectives

(1) To minimise food wastage; and (2) to improve patient satisfaction.

Methodology

With inter-departmental collaboration, DCMS system was modified to increase feasibility on the cut-off time for lunch
ordering. Training was arranged by Hospital Food Services colleagues to staff for using DCMS system. Patients’ choices for
lunch were increased by offering a “Lunch Menu” for patient selection on admission. Staff would order the required meals
according to patients’ preferences. For patients admitted in afternoon, they were interviewed for their lunch preference at the
time of phone reminder, if applicable. Also “Snack bar” was set up for patients especially those who requested “No” meal on
admission. Varieties and types of snacks were enhanced for the choice of patient. The patients’ satisfaction surveys as well
as staff comments were collected before and after the Programme.

Results

Surveys on food wastage before and after the Programme were conducted. The average percentage of food wastage in Day
Surgery Unit and Day Ward were sharply reduced by 92.3% (from 26% to 2%). At the same time, patients’ satisfaction survey
and staffs’ comments were also collected and analysed. Patients’ percentage rating “excellent” for overall satisfaction on
hospital diet was increased by 6.5% (from 31% to 33%). Besides, staff’s comments were positive as little effort was made to
achieve better results.

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