Hospital nutrition care informs potential cost-savings for healthcare: A budget impact analysis

Abstract

Background and aim: In Mexico, about half of hospitalized patients are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition upon hospital admission, while many others experience deterioration of their nutritional status while in the hospital. Such patients often experience poor health outcomes and have increased hospital costs. The aim of our budget-impact analysis was to estimate potential savings associated with the implementation of a Mexican hospital-based program of nutrition care for patients at malnutrition risk or malnourished. Methods: The budget-impact model was based on data published previously. Our model compared patients assigned to receive individualized early nutrition therapy (initiated within 24e48 h of hospital admission) with those who received standard delayed nutrition therapy (not initiated early). Outcomes included length of stay, infectious complications, and 30-day readmissions. We modeled a 30-day timehorizon, estimated event probabilities on the basis of published data, and projected costs in 2020 US dollars. Results: Average total healthcare costs over 30-days were $3527 for patients with early nutrition therapy vs $6032 for patients with standard nutrition therapyda savings of $2505 per early nutrition-treated patient (41.5% lower). Cost differences between the groups were $2336 vs $3065 for hospitalassociated costs (23.8% lower), $262 vs $780 for 30-day readmissions (66.4% lower) and $1348 for malnutrition-associated infections. Applying these potential savings from individualized early nutrition care to a one-year estimate of 3.22 million Mexican hospital patients with malnutrition or its risk, the total overall savings for public health expenditures was equivalent to $8.1 billion per year or 32.1% of total healthcare expenditures. Conclusions: The results demonstrated the potential for hospital-based nutrition care programs to reduce costs of patient hospitalizations. These notable findings provide a rationale for Mexican healthcare institutions to implement programs of comprehensive nutrition-focused care for inpatients with malnutrition or its risk. To this end, we advise implementation of professional programs for education and training in order to increase awareness of patients' nutritional needs and to better prepare clinical personnel to identify, treat, and monitor patients at-risk/malnourished.

A review of the effect of COVID-19 on immune responses of the body

“…When the body is infected, the body will need various nutrients more. [ 64 ] In a recent study Calder et al . [ 65 ] revealed that providing balanced nutrition is critical for improving the immune responses against viral infection.…”

Proceso de cuidado nutricional y desnutrición asociada a la enfermedad: ¿negligencia o injusticia?

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Scaling up health technology assessment capacities in selected African countries – A conceivable route ahead

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