Health care decision makers today are challenged to provide effective care, yet control the cost of delivering such care. Health care providers are concerned with expenses and complication rates. While strategies to limit the cost of medications are widely discussed as ways to save money, the human and financial costs that result from malnutrition are all too often overlooked.

A multitude of studies have verified that malnourished patients are at increased risk for morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, malnutrition reduces quality of life, especially in frail older adults, in whom it can have devastating effects on functioning. Because malnourished patients experience more complications than well-nourished patients, their care costs are higher and inpatient length of stay is longer. Thus, total costs of care are significantly higher for malnourished patients.

Many studies show that routine nutrition screening, assessment, and intervention are key components of good health care: They are cost-effective measures that may improve outcomes and reduce health care costs.

Learn more about treatment and prevention

Health care decision makers can help reduce care costs by taking the following steps:

• Screen all patients for risk of malnutrition using a quick, inexpensive nutrition-screening tool. Some tools are even self-administered.
• Assess those identified as those with or at risk for malnutrition to determine the presence and severity of the condition.
• Intervene with the appropriate nutrition support.

Download screening tools