[Patient satisfaction in a home enteral nutrition program]

Home enteral nutrition is a treatment carried out frequently due to advantages for patients and caregivers (lower risk of nosocomial infections and better integration in socio-familiar media) but also for the health administration because of the lower economic cost and the release of hospital beds.

To investigate patients' and caregivers' satisfaction related to tube enteral nutrition administered at home by a Service controlled and followed by the Nutritional Support Unit from the reference hospital.

One questionnaire for the patients and another for the caregivers were delivered to the patients with home enteral nutrition asking for voluntary response. Similar questionnaires were sent to hospitalized patients and their relatives or possible caregivers.

According to the results of the questionnaires, the majority of patients and relatives were satisfied with the service received. In the cases in which the service was offered at home, the preference was to continue there and not to return to the hospital. Finally, the possibility of telephone contact and home visits were the most important factors that influenced patient satisfaction.

Our results let us conclude that home enteral nutrition controlled and followed up by the Nutritional Support Unit form the hospital is a treatment well accepted both by patients and relatives.