Characteristics of Hospital Stays Involving Malnutrition

Posted on Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, September 2016

Undernutrition is a form of malnutrition characterized by a lack of adequate calories, protein, or other nutrients needed for tissue maintenance and repair. Malnutrition (undernutrition) occurs among approximately 3 percent of adult hospital inpatient stays in the United States and is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Adult hospitalizations with a diagnosis of malnutrition have a longer length of stay, higher costs, more comorbidities, and 5 times the likelihood of death, compared with other adult hospital stays. 

Evidence suggests that early nutritional intervention may reduce complication rates, mortality, and resource use associated with malnutrition. However, many cases of malnutrition are unrecognized and untreated. Clinical definitions of malnutrition and the set of diagnostic codes used to identify malnutrition in hospital administrative data have varied. Standardizing definitions and treatment protocols for malnutrition is complicated by the fact that its etiology is heterogeneous. Malnutrition may result from chronic starvation and conditions such as anorexia, but it also may be a consequence of acute and chronic illness or injury. Using a consistent set of diagnostic criteria and understanding the diseases that are associated with malnutrition are important for recognizing and treating malnutrition 

This Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Statistical Brief presents national estimates on the characteristics of malnutrition reported during nonmaternal and nonneonatal hospital inpatient stays in 2013. Although malnutrition can include high caloric intake associated with overweight and obesity when defined broadly as nutritional imbalance, this Statistical Brief examines undernutrition only.

ICD-10 Reaches the One Year Mark

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, October 6, 2016

On October 1, 2015, the U.S. health care system transitioned to ICD-10. As CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt noted in a blog post, the transition succeeded because of unprecedented cooperation among providers, payers, clearinghouses, vendors, and the rest of the health care community. 

One year later, CMS remains committed to helping you maintain your ICD-10 progress. The CMS ICD-10 website features official resources, including: 

• Next steps toolkit 
• Key performance indicators (KPIs)  
• Step-by-step resource list to help you quickly locate contacts 
• 2017 ICD-10-CM diagnosis code set and guidelines 
• 2017 ICD-10-PCS inpatient procedure code set and guidelines

Cloud Computing Guidance

HHS Office for Civil Rights, October 7, 2016

With the proliferation and widespread adoption of cloud computing solutions, HIPAA covered entities and business associates are questioning whether and how they can take advantage of cloud computing, while complying with the HIPAA Rules. In response, the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has issued important new guidance to assist organizations, including cloud service providers (CSPs), in understanding their HIPAA obligations. The guidance presents key questions and answers to assist HIPAA-regulated CSPs and their customers in understanding their responsibilities under the HIPAA Rules when they create, receive, maintain, or transmit electronic protected health information using cloud products and services. 

You may find the new guidance on OCR's website here. OCR's FAQs on this topic may be found under "Business Associates - Cloud Computing" online here.