Nutritional processes of care for older adults admitted to an oncology-acute care for elders unit.

BACKGROUND

Acute care for elders (ACE) units have been established in the United States to prevent functional decline in older hospitalized patients.

PURPOSE

We sought to examine whether an ace unit that focused specifically on care of older oncology patients (OACE) compared with a usual care cancer ward (UCCW) demonstrated improved nutritional processes of care in patients who had documentation of nutritional deficits.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective chart review to examine whether orders had been placed for a nutritional consult or use of nutritional supplements. Logistic regression analyses, controlling for confounding variables, were conducted to evaluate differences between the wards.

RESULTS

OACE unit patients were 2.1 times more likely than UCCW patients to have a nutrition consult placed and 2.5 times more likely to have nutritional supplements ordered.

CONCLUSIONS

An OACE unit model of care resulted in increased nutritional interventions. Future work is warranted to evaluate outcomes of care.