Evaluation of a multisite food service information system

Abstract

Centralized food production and distribution systems are reliant on the accurate and effective transfer of information. Computerized information systems (ISs) are often implemented to achieve this goal. However, rarely does the implementation of a new IS prompt a formal empirical evaluation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the business process of delivering accurate patient meals as well as identifying sources of error using the work-centred analysis model as a framework for evaluation. A cross-sectional observational study was carried out at three time points (4, 8 and 12 months) using an administered questionnaire. A total of 904 patients from five hospital sites were sampled. Twelve months after implementation and despite management intervention, no significant improvements were observed in the business process of providing patient meals. Overall, 20–35%[95% confidence interval (CI)] of patients admitted to hospital were not given the opportunity to select their own meal from a menu, and of those that did 10–30% (95% CI) received an incorrect meal. We hypothesize that a significant contribution of errors is largely systematic and a direct result of the centralization of meal plating and distribution.