WASHINGTON, D.C – Hospitals will be able to improve the quality of care for patients with malnutrition and reduce hospital stays and costs through a new opportunity resulting from work by Avalere Health and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that was recently approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently finalized its proposal to include the Global Malnutrition Composite Score (GMCS) in its Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program in the 2023 Inpatient Prospective Payment System Final Rule.

“The GMCS advances the treatment of patients with malnutrition, elevates the role of registered dietitian nutritionists in interdisciplinary healthcare teams and incentivizes health systems to provide the best level of care—all of which can shorten hospital stays and reduce readmissions,” said registered dietitian nutritionist and Academy President Ellen R. Shanley.

The GMCS, stewarded by the Academy and developed by Avalere, a member of Fishawack Health, is the first nutrition-focused quality measure and first composite electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) in any CMS payment program.

The Academy and Avalere developed, tested, and fine-tuned the 4 components of the GMCS through the Malnutrition Quality Improvement Initiative (MQii).

The GMCS measures rates of nutrition screening, assessment by a registered dietitian nutritionist, malnutrition diagnosis by a physician and nutrition care plan documentation. Measuring performance based on this collective information can facilitate high-quality, comprehensive nutrition care that begins in the inpatient setting and can continue after discharge.

“Malnutrition is a significant concern in the Medicare population, leading to increased readmissions, higher costs, and longer length of stay. Including this measure in the Hospital IQR Program may promote data collection and reporting and encourage providers to prioritize high-quality nutrition care in this vulnerable population,” said Avalere President Elizabeth Carpenter.

As part of the Hospital IQR Program, hospitals can elect to report on the GMCS as 1 of their 3 voluntary, self-selected eCQMs beginning in 2024. This will expand opportunities for hospitals to improve their malnutrition care performance and realize health, quality performance, and cost-reduction outcomes similar to those achieved by hospitals already tracking performance on the individual malnutrition care eCQMs through the MQii. Hospitals that elect to report on the measure to CMS can leverage existing MQii resources to support their quality improvement programs.

Visit the Academy’s website and the MQii GMCS webpage for additional information. In the coming months, the Academy and Avalere will create and disseminate educational materials for clinicians and administrators to better understand this opportunity.

About the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Representing more than 112,000 credentialed nutrition and dietetics practitioners, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. The Academy is committed to improving health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy. Visit the Academy at www.eatright.org.

About Avalere Health
In an environment that demands a 360-degree perspective, Avalere Health, a member of Fishawack Health, brings innovative, data-driven solutions to complex health care challenges. Avalere is a health care consulting firm that operates at the intersection of policy, access, and transformation. We rely on expansive, proprietary data to derive insights and imagine what does not yet exist.

Our customers span the health care continuum including the top 25 life sciences companies, leading health plans, top health care providers, and health care investors. Knowing that our customers we work with are people first, we join them in their drive to make a positive difference in health care. Inspired by our customers, empowered by data, and propelled by our inclusive culture, we are the essential voice improving health care. Visit us at www.avalere.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Fishawack Health
Fishawack Health (FH) is a leading global commercialization partner for the biopharmaceutical, medical technology, and wellness industries. The future of health is fast-paced and complex, demanding a different approach. Established in 2001, our 1,500+ health care experts combine their knowledge and expertise across our four core disciplines—Medical; Marketing; Policy, Access, Value, Evidence; and Consulting.

Working across the product and service lifecycle, from research and development to post-launch, we engage our collective force to solve the complex health care challenges of today and tomorrow. We imagine a healthier world and build the connections to make it happen. Visit us at www.fishawack.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.