Blogs

March 6, 2017 Kelley Reeser, R.D. L.D.N. C.D.E.

The Secret to Preventing Hospital Readmissions

Understanding Malnutrition is essential to understanding how to better serve and help yourself and your patients. Nutrition Intervention can play a huge part in detecting, reducing complications, and curing the symptoms associated with Malnutrition.

Malnutrition is the inadequate intake of protein and/or energy over prolonged periods of time resulting in loss of fat and/or muscle stores including starvation related malnutrition and acute disease or injury related malnutrition.

Studies have shown that nutrition intervention leads to significant improvements in patient outcomes:

25% reduction in pressure ulcer incidence.

28% decrease in avoidable hospital readmissions.

14% fewer overall complications.

 Various diagnostic tools like food/nutrition intake measurement, nutrition-related physical assessment and something as simple as weight measurement help identify patients at risk.

Registered dietitians can help provide tips for healthy eating and help reduce the risk for malnutrition-related complications!