[The roles of a nutrition support team]

In 1998, a new system called the potluck party method (PPM) for the operation of nutrition support teams (NSTs) was developed. In the PPM, just as at a potluck party where each participant brings a single dish of food to share, the NST is operated and managed by each department contributing a small amount of staff and resources at one time. Based on the PPM, 1 or 2 staff members are selected from each department and each ward and carry out the work of the NST as they continue to go about their routine duties. The roles of the NST are 1) nutritional assessments, 2) checking whether the nutritional support provided is adequate, 3) recommending the best nutritional therapy for each patient, 4) preventing complications during nutritional therapy, and 5) responding to consultations on nutritional support. NST performance based on the PPM have proven effective as demonstrated by the following results: 1) decreases in the number of problem cases in terms of nutritional management; 2) reductions in the incidence of catheter sepsis; 3) reductions in the numbers of patients with poor food intake; 4) prevention of pressure ulceration; 5) attempts to eradicate nosocomial infections; 6) decreases in mean length of hospital stay; and 7) a total cost benefit of at least 120,000,000 yen (US$1,000,000) per year.