Economic Challenges in Nutritional Management

Journal of Clinical Medicine

Emilie Reber¹  Zeno Stanga¹  Kristina Norman²  Andreas Frei³  Olga Endrich⁴  Philipp Schuetz⁵ 

[1] Department for Diabetes, Endocrinology, Nutritional Medicine and Metabolism, Bern University Hospital, and University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland;Department of Nutrition and Gerontology, German Institute for Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany;Freelance Health Economist, 4133 Pratteln, Switzerland;Health Data Management and Health Economics, Medical Directorate, Bern University Hospital, and University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland;Medical University Department, Division of General Internal and Emergency Medicine, Kantonsspital Aarau, 5001 Aarau, Switzerland;

关键词: economic challenges;    nutritional management;    malnutrition;   

DOI  :  10.3390/jcm8071005

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Disease-related malnutrition (DRM) is a highly prevalent independent risk and cost factor with significant influence on mortality, morbidity, length of hospital stay (LOS), functional impairment and quality of life. The aim of our research was to estimate the economic impact of the introduction of routinely performed nutritional screening (NS) in a tertiary hospital, with subsequent nutritional interventions (NI) in patients with potential or manifest DRM. Economic impact analysis of natural detection of inpatients at risk and estimation of the change in economic activity after the implementation of a systematic NS were performed. The reference population for natural detection of DRM is about 20,000 inpatients per year. Based on current data, DRM prevalence is estimated at 20%, so 4000 patients with potential and manifest DRM should be detected. The NI costs were estimated at CHF 0.693 million, with savings of CHF 1.582 million (LOS reduction) and CHF 0.806 million in additional revenue (SwissDRG system). Thus, the introduction of routine NS generates additional costs of CHF 1.181 million that are compensated by additional savings of CHF 2.043 million and an excess in additional revenue of CHF 2.071 million. NS with subsequent adequate nutritional intervention shows an economic potential for hospitals.

【 授权许可】

Unknown