Organization and operation of a home parenteral nutrition program with emphasis on the pharmacist's role

A home parenteral nutrition program was organized at Mayo Clinic-Rochester Methodist Hospital in 1975. To date, 26 patients with chronic malnutrition usually due to either severe short bowel syndrome or extensive Crohn's disease have been trained in home parenteral nutrition for a total treatment period of 430 patient-months. Home parenteral nutrition is an attractive alternative for these patients in that it dramatically improves nutrition, promotes rehabilitation at home, and probably decreases long-term expenses. The numerous medical, psychosocial, and financial problems confronting patients on home parenteral nutrition are managed through a multispecialty team consisting of physicians, pharmacists, nurse, social worker, dietitian, physiatrist, psychiatrist, and business manager. The pharmacist is the person with whom the patient has the most contact during a 2-week training period. In addition to patient education, the pharmacist coordinates the transition to home care, offers in-service education on home parenteral nutrition to nurses and house officers, tests and evaluates the equipment, coauthors a training manual, and edits a quarterly newsletter to patients who are on home parenteral nutrition.