STRENGTHENING NUTRITIONAL CARE QUALITY AND PREVENTING MALNUTRITION AMONG HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS

Malnutrition in hospitalized patients remains a significant global and national health concern, affecting clinical outcomes, length of hospital stay, and overall patient recovery (Purnamasari, Rahayu, & Santoso, 2022). Early detection of nutritional risk through systematic nutrition screening and monitoring is essential to prevent deterioration of patients’ nutritional status and to guide timely interventions (Amelia, Marisa, & Sari, 2025). In Indonesia, malnutrition among inpatients has been reported to range between 23.9% and 60%, depending on the hospital setting and the screening tools used, highlighting the importance of effective nutritional assessment and monitoring in clinical practice (Wita Amelia, Fadilah, & Lestari, 2023).
Nutrition screening is typically performed upon hospital admission to identify patients at risk of malnutrition, followed by ongoing monitoring to evaluate the effectiveness of nutritional interventions and to detect any decline in nutritional status during hospitalization (O’Donnell & Meloncelli, 2025). Despite the recognized importance of these practices, studies in Indonesian hospitals indicate that a gap often exists between initial screening and consistent monitoring, limiting the potential benefits of early nutritional interventions (Purnamasari et al., 2022).
The hospital setting presents unique challenges for nutrition management, including limited resources, high patient volumes, and variable staff expertise. These factors can hinder the timely identification and management of malnutrition, resulting in adverse clinical outcomes such as delayed wound healing, increased infection rates, prolonged hospitalization, and higher healthcare costs (Amelia et al., 2025). Implementing a structured system for both screening and continuous monitoring is therefore critical to improve inpatient care and to ensure that patients at risk of malnutrition receive appropriate and timely nutritional support.
Given these considerations, this study aims to evaluate the utilization of nutrition screening and monitoring by clinical nutritionists for early detection of malnutrition among inpatients at RSD Dr. H. Soemarno Sosroatmodjo during January–February 2026. By using secondary hospital data, the study seeks to provide insight into current practices, identify potential gaps between screening and monitoring, and support evidence-based improvements in hospital nutrition management.