New Hospital Malnutrition Standardized Guidelines

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Hospital Malnutrition Standardized Guidelines

Malnutrition remains a serious problem in hospitals today. It is estimated that one in three patients enter the hospital malnourished and if left untreated will experience significant decline in their condition. It is also estimated that one in three patients becomes malnourished during their hospital stay which severely compromises their short and long term outcomes. Malnutrition contributes to pressure ulcers, poor wound healing, infection, longer hospital stays, and readmissions which all create higher health care costs.
These serious consequences of malnutrition have led dietitians to improve nutritional assessments and allot more time to spend monitoring malnourished or at-risk patients. With current policy changes in our healthcare system promoting affordable care, there is a need to emphasize the role that nutrition therapy plays in patient care. Five organizations have launched a partnership to improve patient outcomes through nutrition intervention in hospital settings. These organizations include the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses, The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, The Society of Hospital Medicine, and Abbott Nutrition.
These parties have worked together to establish a more standardized guideline for diagnosing malnutrition in order to deliver quality, time-sensitive care. It has been proposed that malnutrition be diagnosed from six characteristics including: insufficient energy intake, weight loss, body fat loss, muscle mass loss, fluid accumulation, and reduced grip strength. When two or more of these criteria are met, malnutrition may be diagnosed.
The alliance has also formed six key principles for clinicians to use in providing optimal nutrition care. These involve collaboration with the entire health care team to provide well-rounded and complete care. The alliance draws attention at the clinician’s responsibility to create an hospital culture in which nutrition care is a top priority. Other key principles include continues monitoring of nutrition interventions, communicating care plans effectively and developing solid nutrition plans for patients after they are discharged.
To both prevent and treat malnutrition appropriately, dietitians can take several action steps. These include working with nursing to ensure nutrition screening is properly performed, implementing nutrition-focused physical assessment into the facility, using the new standardized malnutrition guidelines to diagnose malnutrition, and being an active and visible member of the healthcare team.

Corrigan ML. Hospital malnutrition – standardized guidelines take center stage. Today’s Dietitian. 2014:16(1);40.

Tappenden KA, Quatrara B, Parkhurst ML, Malone AM, Fanjiang G, Ziegler TR. Critical role of nutrition in improving quality of care: an interdisciplinary call to action to address adult hospital malnutrition. J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2013;37(4):482-497.

View article at: http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/010614p40.shtml

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