New Guide To Review Nutrition And Hydration In Public Acute Hospitals Published

A new guide to review the nutrition and hydration in public acute hospitals has been published by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA).

The review is part of HIQA's evolving approach in monitoring healthcare providers' compliance with the National Standards for Safer Better Healthcare published in 2012.

The review will use self-assessment as well as unannounced inspections of a number of care environments.

Phelim Quinn, HIQA's Chief Executive, said: "Malnutrition affects more than one in four patients admitted to Irish hospitals and compromises the quality of life for patients; it affects recovery and causes unnecessary illness and death.

"Evidence shows that malnutrition and dehydration often occur together. Dehydration occurs when more fluid is lost than taken in. It has been reported that patients already malnourished on admission are more likely to lose weight during their hospital stay, and their weight loss is proportionately higher.

"It has a higher incidence in specific patient populations. More vulnerable patient populations include older persons, cancer patients, surgical patients and gastrointestinal patients. We believe that these issues form an important barometer of the quality and safety of services and a key indicator of how well the National Standards are understood and implemented.

"In addition to clinical consequences, there are also economic consequences. In 2007, annual healthcare costs associated with malnourished Irish patients were estimated to be over €1.4 billion, representing more than 10% of the healthcare budget that year. In Ireland, it is estimated that 140,000 adults are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition at any given time."

(CD/JP)