Growing the Evidence: Improve Your Practices for Diagnosing Pediatric Malnutrition in the Hospital Setting

Malnutrition is underdiagnosed in hospitalized U.S. pediatric patients, in part because there is no single, validated diagnostic tool has been nationally accepted for use in the hospital setting. Underdiagnosis and undertreatment of malnutrition is associated with longer hospital stays, higher risk of readmission, greater mortality, and higher hospital costs. The consensus-derived criteria developed by the Academy and ASPEN have been commonly used to diagnose malnutrition in hospitalized pediatric patients, though they have not yet been formally connected to pediatric patient health outcomes across hospitals. Panelists representing clinical dietetics, inpatient nutrition administration, and the broader medical nutrition community will discuss a cutting-edge project to connect malnutrition diagnoses based on the AAIM indicators with pediatric patient outcomes and ramifications of this work for best practices in care of pediatric patients with malnutrition.

CPE Level: Level 2 (intermediate knowledge/experience)
CPEU: 1

Learning Objectives

• Describe the relationship between the presence of the Academy/ASPEN indicators for malnutrition and patient medical outcomes.
• Identify the indicators for malnutrition that most accurately predicted nutrition and medical outcomes.
• Integrate use of the diagnostic tool for malnutrition into your practice.

Moderator

• Erin Lamers-Johnson, MS, RDN

Speakers

• Andrew Bremer, MD, PhD
• Kristy Paley, MS, RD, LDN, CNSC
• Karen Jasso, MS, RD, LD