Journal of Community Medicine & Health Education
Open Access

Abstract

Study Objective: 1. To identify whether internal medicine residents were following diet recommendations made by nutritionists for hospitalized malnourished patients. 2. To determine differences in length of stay and readmission rates between malnourished patients Results: 34/50 patients (68%) had diet orders that matched nutritionists� recommendations. Of these patients, 19 had their diet orders changed to the suggested diet within 24 hours of the recommendation; 6 patients had their diet changed within 48 hours of the consultation; 9 patients had their diet orders changed after 48 hours. Average length of stay among patients who had diet orders changed to the recommended diet within 24 hours of the consultation was 7.47 days. Average length of stay among patients who did not have the appropriate diet ordered or had their diet changed > 24 hours after consultation was 6.97. 2/19 malnourished patients who had an appropriate diet ordered within 24 hours of nutritionist consultation were readmitted within 30 days. 16/31 malnourished patients who did not have the correct diet ordered within 24 hours of evaluation by a nutritionist were readmitted within 30 days. Conclusion: Less than 1/3rd of the malnourished patients in the study had diet orders that matched recommendations from a nutritionist within 24 hours of their hospitalization. Average length of stay for the malnourished patients in the study was similar despite the appropriateness of their diet orders. However, malnourished patients who did not have a recommended diet ordered within 24 hours of hospitalization had higher rates of readmission to the hospital. These results echo deficiencies in management of malnourished patients that may have important clinical implications such as readmission.

Biography

Email: akodra@nshs.edu