[The importance of nutritional medicine in patient care, medical training, and research - from a management perspective].

Abstract

Malnutrition affects up to 50% of all hospitalized patients and is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Nutritional therapy is important for the early detection and treatment of malnutrition.The aim of this survey was to determine the personnel and structural nutritional medicine resources in gastroenterological clinics and to identify possible obstacles.In October 2023, an anonymous survey was conducted among gastroenterological chief physicians being member of the German Society for Gastroenterology, Digestive and Metabolic Diseases (DGVS) on the structural and personnel resources of nutritional care.Of the 78 participants, 57.7% worked at a basic and standard care hospital, 16.7% at a maximum care hospital and 10.3% at a university hospital. There are nutritional medicine structures in 83.3% of the hospitals, 61.5% of which have a doctor with the additional qualification in nutritional medicine. The acquisition of the additional designation was subsidised in 53.8% of cases. The lack of remuneration for nutritional medicine treatments and the resulting lack of personnel resources appear to be problematic for the expansion of clinical nutritional medicine.Even though gastroenterological chief physicians ascribe great importance to nutritional medicine, it currently plays a subordinate role in clinical work, training and further education as well as in research. An improvement in budgetary remuneration appears necessary in order to strengthen nutritional medicine in everyday inpatient care.