A study to test the effect of the MEDPass method for the administration of nutritional supplements

Disease-associated malnutrition is a common problem in hospitalized patients. Treatment with oral nutritional supplements (ONS) is one of the most common approaches for malnourished patients. There are no standards for the administration of ONS in terms of timing during the day, leading to individual applications. In Swiss hospitals, ONS are usually administered by nursing or catering staff between main meals. The MEDPass mode offers a different approach by serving ONS together with medication three or four times a day in very small portions. Preliminary studies suggest that intake and cost-effectiveness can be improved with the MEDPass mode. However, it is unknown whether ONS intake leads to improved energy and protein intake throughout the day. There has not yet been a large-scale study in which the total energy and protein intake of study participants has been consistently and systematically assessed throughout the hospital stay. The MEDPass study will fill this gap by examining total energy and protein intake as primary endpoints. The MEDpass study will investigate whether:

• total energy and protein intake are improved in patients receiving ONS via MEDPass compared to the conventional mode
• the total amount of ONS administered differs between groups
• fist closure is improved in patients receiving ONS via MEDPass compared to conventional mode in geriatric and internal medicine inpatients at nutritional risk.