Malnutrition in hospitals costing €1.5bn every year

ONE in four hospital patients are suffering from malnutrition, with the problem now costing the state almost €1.5 billion every year.

The inaugural conference of the Irish Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ISPEN) heard this is the equivalent of 10% of all public health expenditure, and is now more costly a problem to the state than obesity.

The conference was also told that malnourished patients are between two to three times more likely to die within six months.

Despite this, malnutrition does not feature on the HSE’s list of public health issues to be addressed.

Chairman of ISPEN Prof John Reynolds said despite research into the massive cost of malnutrition to the health system, appreciation of the condition remains dismally low.

“Malnutrition in our hospitals and among our elderly and chronically ill community patients is not receiving anything like the attention it deserves.

“This is despite overwhelming evidence that patients who are poorly nourished become sicker, respond less well to treatment, stay longer in hospital and have poorer outcomes than well-nourished patients,” he said.

Malnutrition and related problems are a far greater issue for Irish patients than is generally realised, with more than 140,000 Irish adults affected at any time.

Half of those affected are aged 65 years or over and 90% are living in the community.

Malnutrition affects between 30% and 60% of nursing home residents and an estimated 10% of adult patients attending GP/outpatient department clinics.

World renowned malnutrition expert Prof Marinos Elia said healthcare professionals need to be better educated about nutritional therapy.

“Research shows that the healthcare costs associated with malnourished patients are enormous, costing as much as €1.5bn annually, which represents over 10% of the total Irish healthcare budget.

“All healthcare professionals need to be more aware, more proactive and better educated about the potential for nutritional therapy to improve patient outcomes, save money and save lives,” he said.

Malnourished patients are at a vastly increased risk of complications, impaired functional status, debility and mortality. Such patients have up to twice as many GP visits and hospital admissions, a longer length of stay (30% to 70% on average), and a greater risk of death (two to three fold increase, depending on age).

ISPEN is a multi-profession society that was set up in 2010 with support from the Irish Society of Gastroenterology, Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute and the Nutrition Society.