Ensuring Nutrition

A recent study published in the American Journal of Managed Care claims that oral nutritional supplements (ONS) such as Boost or Ensure can decrease length of stay (LOS) and 30 day readmission rates. This retrospective analysis (sponsored by Abbott, the maker of Ensure) reviewed adult inpatients in the Premier Perspectives database from 2000 to 2010 and found the LOS for patients on ONS was 21% lower, and readmissions 6.7% lower, compared to matched controls not on ONS. The authors conclude that improving nutritional status in vulnerable patient populations such as geriatric, oncology or gastroenterology patients was responsible for this improvement. Now, if they could just find a way to make the patients drink the stuff...

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