Dr. Mark DeLegge was an invited speaker at GI Grand Rounds at Long Island Jewish Hospital in New York recently. This conference was well attended by both pediatric and adult gastroenterologists, as well as GI fellows, medical students, nurses, dietitians and dietetic interns. The topic was “supplemental parenteral nutrition” and focused on the issues of hospital-based malnutrition, the impact of early enteral nutrition, the issue of gastrointestinal intolerance with the use of enteral nutrition with resultant undernutrition and the value of supplemental parenteral nutrition.
The audience was very interactive and there was a lively exchange about the lecture topic. Interest came up about the role of the gastroenterologist in both enteral nutrition and enteral access. The importance of a well-trained dietitian in guiding the nutrition plans of the critically ill patient was stressed. The plans for the formation of a Northeast Special Interest Group of practicing nutrition specialists were discussed. Dr. DeLegge received many thanks and accolades for the presentation. Afterwards, Staten Island Hospital was visited where a complicated patient at a hospital ready for discharge to a home parenteral nutrition service with CORAM healthcare was discussed. Everyone agreed that these types of complicated patients require a well-informed, well-communicating nutritional support team to manage the patient both in the hospital and at home.
