Meal Interference with Antibiotics Administered Orally in Kentucky Hospitals

Hospitals within the State of Kentucky were surveyed to determine if the size of the hospitals influence the frequency of potential meal interference with the administration of oral antibiotics where the empty stomach concept must be fulfilled. One hundred and ten hospitals responded to the mailed survey. Of the responding hospitals 103 were short-term and 7 were long-term hospitals. The frequency of conflict was greater for nourishments than with meal interference. Ninety-three and six tenths percent or 103 answered yes when asked if all patients received nourishments on request. The conflicts of potential meal interference ranged from 15 to 40 percent and with nourishments 41 to 82 percent. A significant relationship was observed between hospital size and potential meal interference, and Chi-square values were statistically significant at the .05 level