State of nutrition support teams

• Published in: Nutrition in clinical practice Vol. 28; no. 6; p. 691
• Main Authors: DeLegge, Mark Henry, Kelly, Andrea True, Kelley, Andrea True
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.12.2013
• Subjects: Hospitals; Humans; Interprofessional Relations; Malnutrition - prevention & control; Nutrition Assessment; Nutrition Therapy; Nutritional Sciences; Nutritional Status; Nutritional Support; Patient Care Team; enteral nutrition; nutrition support teams; nutritional support; parenteral nutrition; reimbursement patient care team
• ISSN: 1941-2452
• DOI: 10.1177/0884533613507455

The incidence of malnutrition in hospitalized patients is relatively high (up to 55%) despite breakthroughs in nutrition support therapies. These patients have increased morbidity and mortality, extended hospital stays, and care that is associated with higher costs. These patients are often poorly managed due to inadequate nutrition assessment and poor medical knowledge and practice in the field of nutrition. Nutrition support teams (NSTs) are interdisciplinary support teams with specialty training in nutrition that are often comprised of physicians, dietitians, nurses, and pharmacists. Their role includes nutrition assessment, determination of nutrition needs, recommendations for appropriate nutrition therapy, and management of nutrition support therapy. Studies have demonstrated significant improvements in patient nutrition status and improved clinical outcomes as well as reductions in costs when patients were appropriately managed by a multispecialty NST vs individual caregivers. Despite this, there has been steady decline in the number of formal NST in recent years (65% of hospitals in 1995 to 42% in 2008) as hospitals and other healthcare organizations look for ways to cut costs. Given the importance of nutrition status on clinical outcomes and overall healthcare costs, a number of institutions have introduced and sustained strong nutrition training and support programs and teams, demonstrating both clinical and economic benefit. The benefits of NST, training and implementation strategies, and tips for justifying these clinically and economically beneficial groups to healthcare organizations and governing bodies are discussed in this review.