Targeting malnutrition: Nutrition programs yield cost savings for hospitalized patients. Issue 9 (September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Buitrago, Giancarlo; Vargas, Juan; Sulo, Suela; Partridge, Jamie S.; Guevara-Nieto, Michelle; Gomez, Gabriel; Misas, Juan Diego; Correia, M. Isabel T.D.
• Is Part Of: Clinical nutrition. Volume 39:Issue 9(2020)
• Page Start: 2896
• Page End: 2901
• Publication Date: 2020-09
• Subjects: Cost savings -- Colombia -- Healthcare costs -- Nutrition programs -- Hospitalized patients; Critically ill -- Nutrition -- Periodicals; Diet therapy -- Periodicals; Parenteral feeding -- Periodicals; Enteral feeding -- Periodicals; Enteral Nutrition -- Periodicals; Parenteral Nutrition -- Periodicals; Metabolism -- Periodicals; Diétothérapie -- Périodiques; Alimentation parentérale -- Périodiques; Alimentation entérale -- Périodiques; Nutrition -- Périodiques; Diet therapy; Enteral feeding; Nutrition; Parenteral feeding; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 615.854
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2019.12.025
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0261-5614

Abstract

Summary: Background & aims: Between 30 and 50% of Colombian patients are malnourished or at-risk of malnutrition on hospital admission. Malnutrition is associated with poor outcomes and increased costs. We used cost modeling to estimate savings that could be derived from implementation of a nutrition therapy program for patients at malnutrition risk. Methods: The budget impact analysis was performed using previously-published outcomes data. Outcomes included length of stay, 30-day readmissions, and infectious/non-infectious complications. We developed a Markov model that compared patients who were assigned to receive early nutrition therapy (started within 24–48 h of hospital admission) with those assigned to receive standard nutrition therapy (not started early). Our model used a 60-day time-horizon and estimated event probabilities based on published data. Results: Average total costs over 60 days were $3770 US dollars for patients with delayed nutrition therapy vs $2419 for patients with early nutrition therapy—a savings of $1351 (35.8% decrease) per nutrition-treated patient. Cost differences between the groups were: $2703 vs $1600 for hospital-associated costs; $883 vs $665 for readmissions; and $176 vs $94 for complications. Taken broadly, the potential costs savings from a nutrition care program for an estimated 638, 318 hospitalized Colombian patients at malnutrition risk is $862.6 million per year. Conclusions: Our budget impact analysis demonstrated the potential for hospital-based nutrition care programs to improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs for hospitalized patients in Colombia. These findings provide a rationale for implementing comprehensive nutrition care in Colombian hospitals.