Baxter and ASPEN Launch “SmartPN” Tools to Reinforce Appropriate Use of Parenteral Nutrition

• SmartPN is a collaboration between Baxter and the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) to help reduce clinical malnutrition
• Adults who are hospitalized and diagnosed with malnutrition have a longer length of stay, higher cost, more comorbidities and 5 times the likelihood of death, compared with other adult inpatient stays¹
• New educational resources seek to reinforce the value of parenteral nutrition (PN) and how to use it safely and appropriately

DEERFIELD, Ill. & SILVER SPRING, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN), an organization which drives the science and practice of clinical nutrition, and Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX), a global leader in clinical nutrition, launched an educational video series on the appropriate use of parenteral nutrition (PN), as part of the organizations’ “SmartPN” collaboration to help reduce clinical malnutrition that was announced last year.

PN represents a notable achievement of modern medicine, offering a life-sustaining option to patients who cannot get adequate oral or enteral nutrition. However, many patients, especially those in the acute and critical care settings, are not getting the therapy they need.

“Based on the latest AHRQ report, malnutrition occurs among 8.1 percent of non-maternal, non-neonatal hospitalized patients in the United States²,” said Peggi Guenter, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, FASPEN, senior director of clinical practice, quality and advocacy, ASPEN. “Adult hospitalizations with a diagnosis of malnutrition have a longer length of stay, higher cost, higher rate of readmissions, and up to 5 times the likelihood of death, compared with other adult inpatient stays³ . For many of these patients, PN can be a viable treatment. That’s why we created these tools and we are so grateful to Baxter for partnering with us on this project.”

This four-part video series will reinforce among clinicians the value of PN and how to use it safely and appropriately:

• Part I: PN Appropriateness: The General Approach
• Part II: The Role of Supplemental Parenteral Nutrition
• Part III: Avoiding Overfeeding and Glucose Control Management
• Part IV: Venous Catheter Selection, Care, and Complication Prevention

“At Baxter, we are committed to advancing clinical nutrition and finding better ways to provide appropriate care. We are happy to partner with ASPEN on these needed tools and resources that can help clinicians feed their patients safely and appropriately with PN,” said Mary Russell, MS, RDN, LDN, FAND, medical science liaison, Baxter, and president, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Details and access to the videos are available on www.nutritioncare.org/smartpn. As part of the SmartPN initiative, there is a free care pathway that provides steps and online resources on PN and a “PN 101” video.

About Baxter

Every day, millions of patients and caregivers rely on Baxter’s leading portfolio of critical care, nutrition, renal, hospital and surgical products. For more than 85 years, we’ve been operating at the critical intersection where innovations that save and sustain lives meet the healthcare providers that make it happen. With products, technologies and therapies available in more than 100 countries, Baxter’s employees worldwide are now building upon the company’s rich heritage of medical breakthroughs to advance the next generation of transformative healthcare innovations. To learn more, visit www.baxter.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

About ASPEN

The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) is dedicated to improving patient care by advancing the science and practice of nutrition support therapy and metabolism. Founded in 1976, ASPEN is an interdisciplinary organization whose members are involved in the provision of clinical nutrition therapies, including parenteral and enteral nutrition. With more than 6,500 members from around the world, ASPEN is a community of dietitians, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physicians, scientists, students and other health professionals from every facet of nutrition support clinical practice, research and education. For more information about ASPEN, please visit www.nutritioncare.org.

Baxter is a registered trademark of Baxter International Inc.

¹ Barrett ML, Bailey MK, Owens PL. Non-maternal and Non-neonatal Inpatient Stays in the United States Involving Malnutrition, 2016. ONLINE. August 30, 2018. U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Available: www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports.jsp.
² Ibid.
³ Ibid.