Measuring Meal Production & Calculating Meal Equivalents

1.1 CDM, CFPP will work with administration or the finance department to measure meal production.

CDM, CFPP measures meal production to assist in calculating FTE (full-time equivalent) needs.

1.2 CDM, CFPP will work with administration or the finance department to determine which staff will be included in total hours for selected productivity standard.

Consider: Which labor hours will be used in the calculation of meal productivity:

✓ all staff involved in producing meals?
✓ management staff?
✓ clinical dietetics staff?
✓ support staff?
✓ manager?
✓ consultant dietitian?

CDM, CFPP follows up on decreases in productivity by checking variances in the patient/client meals, non-patient/client meals, meal equivalents.

1.3 CDM, CFPP will work with administration or the finance department to determine what will be used to calculate meal equivalents.

Determining Actual Meals Served:

Consider: What food cost data will be used to determine actual patient/client meals served (meal equivalents)?
✓ Patient/client trays
✓ Meals on Wheels
✓ Other

Consider: What food cost data will be used to determine a meal equivalent for non-patient/client meals?
✓ Cafeteria
✓ Floor stock
✓ Catering from outside groups
✓ Staff meals
✓ Supplements
✓ Tube feedings
✓ Guest trays

Options:
✓ Use an average price for a typical cafeteria meal (market basket) for café/catering/guest meals/staff meals. Market basket example: 4 oz. protein, 1 vegetable, 1 grain, 1 beverage = $3.20

✓ Cost out floor stock, tube feedings, catering, and cafeteria costs and divide by the market basket price to determine meal equivalents.

✓ Use a standard for nourishments/supplements and/or tube feedings, such as three nourishments/supplements are equivalent to one meal

✓ Meal Equivalents (ME) can vary greatly, as it depends on what each CDM, CFPP counts as a meal. The key is to develop a system that you use consistently and not to compare your department to other facilities, rather use your monthly meal equivalents to track changes and trends throughout the months.

Example: LTC Facility - January

1.4 Actual meals are counted using a standardized method and recorded on a weekly productivity form by category.

Considerations:
✓ Count every tray delivered for patients/clients.
✓ Count every meal delivered for Meals on Wheels.
✓ Count every meal delivered for staff or doctors.

1.5 Total meal equivalents are recorded on a weekly productivity form.

1.6 Labor hours are tracked for foodservice personnel and recorded on the productivity form.

1.7 Minutes Per Meal, Labor Hours Per Meal, Labor Costs per FTE, Labor Costs Per Meal Served or Meals Per Labor Hour are determined for patient/client and nonpatient/ client services.

Minutes Per Meal Served

Total Labor Hours MULTIPLIED by 60
DIVIDED by Total Meals Served

Example

1.8 The CDM, CFPP in Healthcare calculates Labor Hours Daily per Patient/Resident

Labor Hours Total for Day DIVIDED by # of residents.

Example