Aged Care Insite Issue 95 | June-July 2016 | Page 33

clinical focus that malnutrition in hospitals is associated with prolonged hospital stay, greater risk of readmission, slower recovery, increased risk of pressure ulcers, decreased functional capacity in patients, and a greater risk of death. These outcomes not only have a significant impact on patients and their families, but they also have a big impact on the healthcare system. It’s been estimated that the cost of treating a patient who has the risk of malnutrition is at least 20 per cent higher than treating someone who is well nourished, in the hospital system. There have been studies done in the UK that estimate the cost of malnutrition there is more than £13 billion, which is about $20 million Australian. There have been a couple of good studies done between 2002 and 2004. One of them was done in 45 public hospitals in Victoria, and they estimated that the cost of malnutrition to public hospitals in Victoria was over $10 million. Another study that was done in Queensland based public hospitals found that the cost of malnutrition related pressure ulcers was over $13 million. As I said before, these studies were done at least 15 years ago, so one can only imagine what the equivalent cost estimates would be in the present age. What should be done to address this issue? A starting point would be to acknowledge and accept malnutrition as a formidable problem. Malnutrition in hospitals has long been known as a skeleton in the hospital’s closet. It is time that we bring the skeleton out of the closet, and out in the open. It is time now for the focus of malnutrition to shift from being within the dietitians’ domain, to extend beyond. Policymakers and all healthcare professionals, whether they are medical professionals, nursing professionals, allied healthcare professionals or food services staff in the hospital system, should feel more responsible in terms of managing malnutrition. When we talk about stakeholders, we also need to remember that patients themselves are important stakeholders in the management of malnutrition. There is evidence to suggest that malnourished patients don’t recognise that malnutrition is a problem when they’re admitted in hospital, which is a big issue. Patients need to become aware of the perils of malnutrition, because it is a big problem to them, and it can affect their recovery. There is a range of screening tools that are evidence based. One of them being a malnutrition screening tool which is literally a two question tool which anybody in hospital can administer. That can determine whether or not a patient is at risk of developing malnutrition. We need to use that tool as part of day to day good practice, because in summary, if malnutrition is not recognised, it is unlikely to be treated. For healthcare professionals, I think we need to adopt a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach, in addressing malnutrition as a problem. Because malnutrition is everyone’s problem. ■ INFECTION CONTROL Let’s Get It Right Clini-Sorb® CliniPak Clinicol Biohazard Spill Kit Specially formulated for rapid & convenient disinfection of hard surfaces. TGA Listed Hospital Grade Disinfectant. Call For a free sample. Complete kit for the safe & convenient clean-up of biohazardous spills. For additional safety and convenience kit contains Clini-Sorb super abs