The benefits of oral rehydration in the hospital setting are the elimination of the risks associated with intravenous fluid therapy and a considerable reduction in the quantity of such fluids used. This bar graph shows the dramatic reduction in the use of intravenous fluids in a hospital in Jamaica after oral therapy was introduced: of the total number of children treated for gastroenteritis, the number receiving intravenous fluids declined from 55% to 4%. This represents a significant saving in costs - both of fluids and equipment, and of skilled staff time.