Study Title
More-2-Eat implementation demonstrates that screening, assessment, and treatment of malnourished patients can be spread and sustained in acute care: a multi-site, pretest post-test time series study.
Principal Investigator
Heather Keller, et al.
Affiliation
Schlegel-University of Waterloo Research Institute for Aging, University of Waterloo, Canada.
Start Date
May 2018.
End Date
December 2019.
Study Objective
To demonstrate that a scalable model of implementation can increase nutrition practices (screening, SGA, MedPass) in acute care hospitals.
Short Abstract
The study evaluated the spread and sustainability of nutrition screening, Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), and MedPass (oral nutritional supplement) practices in ten Canadian hospitals. Screening rates increased from 50% to 84%, SGA use improved, and MedPass use nearly doubled. The results show that implementing these practices can enhance malnutrition care in diverse hospital settings. The study also highlighted the need for continuous audits, feedback, and champion leadership to sustain these improvements.
Study Design
Multi-site pretest post-test time series study across 10 hospitals.
Population
Adult medical and surgical inpatients in acute care hospitals.
Sample Size
5158 patient charts audited.
Inclusion Criteria
Adult medical or surgical patients in participating hospitals.
Exclusion Criteria
Palliative patients.
Intervention/Exposure
Not applicable (observational study with implementation of nutrition screening, SGA, and MedPass).
Outcome Measures
Rates of nutrition screening, completion of SGA, and use of MedPass.
Funding Source
Canadian Frailty Network, with monetary support from Abbott Laboratories Canada.
Collaborating Institutions
University of Alberta, Women’s College Hospital, NNEdPro Global Centre for Nutrition and Health, Prince Charles Hospital, among others.
Ethics Approval
Approved by the research ethics boards of participating hospitals and the University of Waterloo (ORE# 31791).
Publication Status
Published in Clinical Nutrition (2021).
Keywords
Malnutrition, hospital, screening, Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), MedPass, implementation.
Data Collection Methods
Bi-monthly audits of patient charts to track nutrition care practices.
Primary Data Availability
Not specified.
Contact Information
Heather Keller,