MCFP: Recognizing and Tackling Malnutrition in Primary and Community Care

As part of the Family Medicine Interest group, we’re forwarding info from the Manitoba College of Family Physicians (MCFP). They host Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities throughout the year that are free for us. Details below in case anyone is interested

Use the code MEDICALLEARNER2024 to register for free using the link at the end

RECOGNIZING AND TACKLING MALNUTRITION IN PRIMARY AND COMMUNITY CARE
Date: Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024
Time: 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Session type: Virtual (registrants will receive a meeting link)
Credits: 1.5 credit hours

Register Here

Malnutrition in adults and seniors that have been hospitalized is a serious health issue that needs to be addressed. In Canada, it has been reported that up to 45% of patients admitted to hospital are malnourished (Allard, 2016). After being discharged from hospital, it has been found that one in four adult patients lose weight (Keller, 2017). Further, one in three adults aged >65 years living in the community are at nutrition risk (Range-Morin, 2013). Nutrition interventions, including those provided in the primary care and community setting, result in a positive impact on food intake (Munk, 2017), quality of life (Rasmussen, 2018), costs (Howatson, 2015), and even mortality (Schuetz, 2019). Furthermore, best practices such as nutrition screening with validated tools and care pathways have been shown to be feasible in a family practice setting (Hamiruddin, 2014).The Canadian Malnutrition Task Force’s (CMTF’s) Primary Care Working Group is a group of clinicians, academics and professional leaders assembled to address the issue of nutrition risk in community-living populations. By aggregating, summarizing and disseminating evidence-based knowledge, this group has developed best practices, strategies and tools for nutrition risk prevention, detection and treatment in the community, hospital and after discharge. Evidence-based pathways to address malnutrition at transitions and in primary care have been developed and several tools have been created to guide physicians in their screening, referral and treatment of malnutrition. These resources will be shared.In this session, a presenter from CMTF will review:
·    The evidence around the prevalence of malnutrition in the community.
·    Identified gaps in nutrition care for malnourished patients in transition from hospital to home.
·    Illustrate how gaps in practice can be minimized through nutrition screening and other evidence-based interventions.Learning Objectives:
1. Describe malnutrition, its prevalence and relevance to primary and community care
2.  Identify evidence-based approaches to detect, treat and prevent malnutrition in the community and at transitions of care.
3.  Review how to apply strategies, tools and resources to address malnutrition within your practice.