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Can Oral Nutritional Supplements Improve Medicare Patient Outcomes in the Hospital?

Author

Listed:
  • Lakdawalla Darius N.

    (Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA)

  • Snider Julia Thornton

    ()

  • Linthicum Mark T.

    (Precision Health Economics, Los Angeles, California, USA)

  • Perlroth Daniella J.

    (Center for Primary Care Outcomes Research, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA)

  • LaVallee Chris

    (Precision Health Economics, Austin, Texas, USA)

  • Philipson Tomas J.

    (Irving B. Harris School of Public Policy Studies, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA)

  • Partridge Jamie S.

    (Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Abbott Nutrition, Columbus, Ohio, USA)

  • Wischmeyer Paul E.

    (Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA)

Abstract

We analyzed the effect of oral nutritional supplement (ONS) use on 30-day readmission rates, length of stay (LOS), and episode costs in hospitalized Medicare patients (≥65), and subsets of patients diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), congestive heart failure (CHF) or pneumonia (PNA). Propensity-score matching and instrumental variables were used to analyze ONS and non-ONS episodes from the Premier Research Database (2000–2010). ONS use was associated with reductions in probability of 30-day readmission by 12.0% in AMI and 10.1% in CHF. LOS decreases of 10.9% in AMI, 14.2% in CHF, and 8.5% in PNA were associated with ONS, as were decreases in episode costs in AMI, CHF and PNA of 5.1%, 7.8% and 10.6%, respectively. The effect on LOS and episode cost was greatest for the Any Diagnosis population, with decreases of 16.0% and 15.8%, respectively. ONS use in hospitalized Medicare patients ≥65 is associated with improved outcomes and decreased healthcare costs, and is therefore relevant to providers seeking an inexpensive, evidence-based approach for meeting Affordable Care Act quality targets.

Suggested Citation

  • Lakdawalla Darius N. & Snider Julia Thornton & Linthicum Mark T. & Perlroth Daniella J. & LaVallee Chris & Philipson Tomas J. & Partridge Jamie S. & Wischmeyer Paul E., 2014. "Can Oral Nutritional Supplements Improve Medicare Patient Outcomes in the Hospital?," Forum for Health Economics & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 17(2), pages 1-21, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:fhecpo:v:17:y:2014:i:2:p:21:n:3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. repec:mpr:mprres:6970 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Douglas Staiger & James H. Stock, 1997. "Instrumental Variables Regression with Weak Instruments," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 65(3), pages 557-586, May.
    3. Peter K. Lindenauer & Susannah M. Bernheim & Jacqueline N. Grady & Zhenqiu Lin & Yun Wang & Yongfei Wang & Angela R. Merrill & Lein F. Han & Michael T. Rapp & Elizabeth E. Drye & Sharon-Lise T. Norman, "undated". "The Performance of US Hospitals as Reflected in Risk-Standardized 30-Day Mortality and Readmission Rates for Medicare Beneficiaries with Pneumonia," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 29025ac87e7e4038ae36e5113, Mathematica Policy Research.
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