Clinical Nutrition
Malnutrition is undoubtedly a very common problem in developed countries and includes apart from the problems arising from obesity, and those that arise as a result of insufficient quantity and/or quality of nutritional support in hospitalized patients.
As has been demonstrated in published data and in clinical practice, patients with malnutrition:
- have increase needs for medical and nursing care
- show increased incidence of infections and complications (and thus morbidity)
- are in increased need for rehospitalization
- show an increased length of stay (and thus cost)
- have increased mortality
In summary, malnutrition, which can be prevented and reversed, greatly increases the cost of care and adversely affects the quality of life.
The Hellenic Society for Medical Nutrition (HSMN), along with any interested and open to scientific cooperation organization or company (including but not limited to the Hellenic Dietetic Association-HDA and the Hellenic Association of Hospital Dietitians-PASYNOD) aims to emerge malnutrition issues in public hospitals and to promote the implementation of evidence-based protocols.
The innovative and strategic Fight Against Malnutrition in Greece has resulted in establishing new modern legislation. By the end of February the new legislation from the “Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity” was voted by the Greek Parliament. Chapter n.134 refers in details in Clinical Nutrition issues and addresses malnutrition related issues.
In this section you can find ESPEN Guidelines on Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition, the Guidelines of the Greek National Organization for Medicines, and some important Nutritional Scrrening Tools