Analysis of Operational Characteristics and Substantiality Plan of Inpatient Diets for Foreigners in Hospitals

The objectives of this study were to analyze the operational characteristics and to explore the substantiality plan of inpatient diets for foreigners in hospitals. Questionnaires were mail-delivered to 128 hospitals, and a total of 62 questionnaires were usable with a response rate of 48.4 percent. Statistical data analysis was completed using SPSS Win 11.0 for descriptive analysis, independent t-test, and <TEX>χ²</TEX> test. Results can be summarized as follows. The average number of inpatient meals for foreigners in the last 6 months were 405 and 53 for general therapeutic diets and special therapeutic diets, respectively. The rates of hospitals with an exclusive department and exclusive staff for foreign inpatients were 48.4% and 53.2%, respectively. Major nationalities of foreign inpatients were China (37.5%) and Russia (31.3%), and their major medical departments were internal medicine (43.9%) and surgery (39.0%). The number of hospitals that provided inpatient diet only for foreigners was 42 (72.4%) and influencing factors were number of permitted beds (P<0.05), an exclusive department (P<0.001), and exclusive staff (P<0.01). The main type of menu was USA European style (61.1%), and the price of inpatient meals for foreigners was mostly \10,000~\25,000 (62.0%). As 75.9% of hospitals did not possess dietary slip manuals for foreigners, the case of preparing inpatient meals for foreigners in the form of a general therapeutic diet partially-modified according to disease was the majority (55.4%). Dietitians felt the need for nutrition management guidelines and dietary slip manuals (47.3%) as a substantiality plan of inpatient diets for foreigners. There is a need for exclusive foodservice standards for foreign inpatients in the changing medical environment.