Handheld Menu Entry

DFM System is the System of "choice," providing each dietary department with the flexibility to alter their operation and still have a computer system that can meet their needs. The method used to enter patient menu selections into the computer system is just one of the choices available to users of the DFM System software. For years DFM has provided several ways to transfer patient menu selections from a printed menu into the Diet Office System software. Now the DFM Diet Office Management System includes handheld menu entry for bedside selection.

 

With a handheld menu entry, patient information and daily menu files are downloaded from the DFM Diet Office Management System onto the handheld PC. Dietary personnel can visit each patient and enter menu selections right at the bedside. Food items offered on the daily menu are grouped into user-defined categories (such as entrees, side dishes, and beverages) for easy access. Allergies and/or modifiers that should be deselected are automatically applied to the list of available choices for each specific patient. Multiple portions of the same item and "write-ins" can also be entered.

 

Once the patient's menu choices have been collected on the handheld PC, the selections are uploaded back to the DFM Diet Office System for production tallies and tray ticket processing. Here they may also be accessed through an on-line editor for additional changes, nutritional analysis or dietitian review.

 

For operations offering a non-select menu, the handheld PC can be used to collect patient preference information such as beverage choice by meal, allergies, and general food like/dislike preferences. The preferences are uploaded to the DFM Diet Office System where they are used to personalize the non-select menu for the patient.

 

The handheld menu selection entry option is an excellent tool for use with a spoken menu, and an efficient way to allow Rehab and other groups of patients who cannot mark a paper menu to participate in menu selection. It also provides easy processing of menu selections collected from patients close to mealtime or in remote locations, reducing the number of house diets served.

 

DFM's handheld PC functions are a standard component of the DFM Diet Office Management System. They may be run on any current Windows-based handheld computer with local disk storage.