Recognizing malnutrition at an early stage - increasing patient safety

Up to 40 % of patients malnourished

Studies show that 20-40% of hospitalized patients are malnourished or at high risk of malnutrition. Elderly and multimorbid people are particularly affected - in geriatric wards, the rate is over 60%. In Swiss hospitals, almost one in five patients is diagnosed with manifest malnutrition on admission, and in rehabilitation the figure is even higher at more than 35%.

Lack of screening exacerbates the risk

The causes range from loss of appetite and additional requirements due to illness to inadequate nutrition during hospitalization. Many patients consume significantly less energy and protein than they need. As systematic screening is still lacking in many hospitals, malnutrition often goes undetected - with serious consequences.

Billions in costs due to inadequate nutritional therapy

On average, malnourished patients stay in hospital for almost five days longer, are more likely to suffer from infections and wound healing disorders and have a two to three times higher risk of death. In Germany alone, up to 55,000 patients die avoidably every year as a result of inadequate nutritional therapy. This results in billions in additional costs for healthcare systems.

Automated nutritional monitoring with AI creates safety

This is where the FoodScanner comes in: The AI-supported, automated recording of food intake makes nutritional risks visible from day one. This provides hospitals with a structured, objective data basis for identifying patients at risk at an early stage and treating them in a targeted manner. As a result, malnutrition can not only be detected but also effectively prevented, leading to shorter stays, better patient outcomes and a noticeable reduction in the workload of hospital staff.