Value Project Study Also Finds Improvements in Reduced Length of Hospital Stays and Complication Avoidance
SILVER SPRING, MD, January 30, 2020: A new study published today
in the Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition finds that nutrition support therapy for specific hospitalized
patient populations could reduce Medicare costs by a projected $580 million
each year.
This first-of-its-kind study, conducted by the American Society
for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN), is evidence of the economic value of the improved
patient outcomes associated with appropriate nutrition support therapies.
“The study, ‘Value of Nutrition Support Therapy: Impact on
Clinical and Economic Outcomes in the United States,’ provides critical
guidance on ways to reduce costs while improving patient health with nutrition
support,” said co-author, project co-chair, and ASPEN member Albert Barrocas,
MD, FACS. “Future savings could be even higher by expanding nutritional
interventions to the entire Medicare population.”
“These findings provide healthcare leaders with
evidence of how investing in nutrition support can reduce hospital-acquired
conditions, and shorten hospital length of stay,” said lead author,
project co-chair, and ASPEN member Renay Tyler, DNP, ACNP. “Healthcare
professionals and policymakers can no longer afford to overlook the role of
nutrition in delivering high-value care and yielding substantial cost savings.”
Value
Project Study Protocol
The study was undertaken to understand the financial and quality impact
of nutrition support therapy on high-priority therapeutic conditions through an
evidence review and Medicare claims analyses.
A literature search was conducted on 13 specific diseases or
therapeutic conditions where nutrition support intervention was administered,
and clinical outcomes were measured. From this survey of 1,099 articles, five
conditions were selected. An analysis of cost data using Medicare claims for
these conditions between October 2015 and June 2018 was then conducted to
determine cost savings or loss when nutrition support was provided to all
eligible patients. These results were then modeled to project costs on a yearly
basis.
Findings
This analysis revealed that highly significant
Medicare costs savings of $580 million resulted in four of the five selected
conditions, when nutrition support was provided. In particular, the study uncovered significant
savings and improved outcomes for patients with sepsis, gastrointestinal
cancer, surgical complications, and hospital-acquired infections. The link to
the complete study can be found on nutritioncare.org/ValueProject.
“The findings from the Value Project suggest that additional
research beyond this limited group of conditions could generate additional
insights surrounding the considerable benefits of optimal nutrition care,” said
co-author Peggi Guenter, PhD, RN, FAAN, FASPEN, and senior director of clinical
practice, quality and advocacy at ASPEN.
Avalere
Health, a Washington, DC-based health policy firm, worked on the Value Project
under the guidance of a 17-member, multidisciplinary ASPEN task force. Funding
was contributed by Nestlé Nutrition Institute, Abbott Nutrition, Cardinal
Health, and B. Braun Medical, Inc.
Contact: Stephanie Lee, (301)-920-9124, [email protected]
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ABOUT ASPEN
The
American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) is dedicated to
improving patient care by advancing the science and practice of nutrition
support therapy and metabolism. Founded in 1976, ASPEN is an interdisciplinary
organization whose members are involved in the provision of clinical nutrition
therapies, including parenteral and enteral nutrition. With more than 6,500
members from around the world, ASPEN is a community of dietitians, nurses,
nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physicians, scientists, students and other
health professionals from every facet of nutrition support clinical practice,
research and education. For more information about ASPEN, please visit
www.nutritioncare.org
ABOUT THE
JOURNAL OF
PARENTERAL AND ENTERAL NUTRITION
The
Journal
of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (JPEN)
publishes original, peer-reviewed studies and clinical content presenting
developments and advances in optimizing the care of patients receiving enteral
or intravenous therapies. It is published eight times a year by ASPEN