Study Title
Scale-up of a National Program to Improve Nutrition Care in Canadian Hospitals
Principal Investigator
H. Keller, C. Laur, R. Valaitis, J. Bell, J. Morrison-Koechl, K. Ford, R. Dhaliwal, R. Nasser, S. Ray, J. Dubin, H. Chen, L. Gramlich.
Affiliation
University of Waterloo; Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging, Waterloo; Women's College Hospital, University of Toronto; Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Australia; Canadian Malnutrition Task Force; NNEdPro Global Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health; University of Cambridge; Ulster University; University of Alberta.
Start Date
Phase 1: Start date not explicitly stated.
End Date
Phase 1: 12 months.
Phase 2: 18 months.
Study Objective
To assess the feasibility of scaling and spreading the More-2-Eat (M2E) program aimed at improving nutrition care in Canadian hospitals by embedding nutrition practices such as malnutrition screening, Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), and medication pass with oral nutritional supplements.
Short Abstract
The M2E program is designed to address malnutrition in Canadian hospitals by embedding key nutrition care practices. The study used behavior-change techniques to integrate practices such as screening for malnutrition at admission and providing oral nutritional supplements. It tracked the progress through chart audits over time, demonstrating an increase in nutrition care practices, including malnutrition screening and improved nutritional interventions, showing the feasibility of the program for wider adoption across hospitals.
Study Design
Multi-phase implementation study involving two phases. Hospitals were supported via tailored mentoring calls and auditing tools to reduce researcher involvement and sustain improvements in nutrition care.
Population
Hospitalized patients in Canada.
Sample Size
Phase 1: 5030 chart audits were conducted.
Phase 2: 5158 chart audits were conducted.
Inclusion Criteria
Patients admitted to hospital units participating in the More-2-Eat program.
Exclusion Criteria
Not specified.
Intervention/Exposure
Behavior-change techniques to integrate nutrition practices, including:
- Malnutrition screening at admission.
- Subjective Global Assessment (SGA).
- Medication pass of oral nutritional supplements.
Outcome Measures
- Rates of malnutrition screening.
- Use of Subjective Global Assessment (SGA).
- Medication changes to address gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Use of oral nutritional supplements.
Funding Source
Not explicitly mentioned in the abstract.
Collaborating Institutions
Canadian Malnutrition Task Force, NNEdPro Global Institute, University of Waterloo, University of Alberta, and several Canadian health institutions.
Ethics Approval
Not specifically mentioned in the abstract.
Publication Status
Published in Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, 2023.
Keywords
Malnutrition, hospital nutrition care, More-2-Eat (M2E), nutrition screening, implementation study, Canadian hospitals.
Data Collection Methods
Chart audits were conducted monthly in Phase 1 and bi-monthly in Phase 2 to track the uptake of new practices across the hospitals. Sites tailored their implementation strategies and used a self-managed audit-feedback tool to reduce researcher involvement.
Primary Data Availability
Data from chart audits and hospital records were collected as part of the study. The use of the audit-feedback tool allowed for self-assessment by the hospitals.
Contact Information
Dr. Heather Keller (University of Waterloo),