Un parcours de soins spécifique pour la dénutrition

Malnutrition has been considered as a hospital illness for nearly forty years. Despite this fact, we know this malnutrition finds its roots earlier within the community. Therefore, considering the evolutionary history of this pathology even an early hospital screening proves to be overdue. Nutritional condition often deteriorates during hospitalization and, with most favorable treatment conditions, increasingly short lengths of stay rarely allow for a complete correction. Coordination with home care network becomes essential to maintain nutritional treatment that was initiated in hospital. Since 2012, French health authorities proposes different care pathways involving patients as well as doctors, paramedical and medico-social practitioners in malnutrition prevention, early detection and home medical care. It is now essential to consider that malnutrition, like any chronic disease, asks for a specific care pathway, whatever the age of the patient.