11/20/2025
Malnutrition often goes unseen — but its impact is real. Malnutrition is a condition that occurs when a person doesn’t get enough nutrients to meet their body’s needs, affecting their strength, healing, and overall health. Across Canada, 45% of patients admitted to medical and surgical units are at risk of malnutrition. This leads to higher rates of falls, pressure injuries, longer hospital stays, and increased mortality. At the Wellington Healthcare Alliance, we’re taking action.
A recent screening across our hospitals found that 1 in 4 patients were at risk — and 90% were not receiving support for malnutrition. That’s why we’ve launched our new Malnutrition Prevention Initiative. Led by our Clinical Dietitians, Brooklyn and Mike, with the support of Cara Croll, Registered Dietitian, this Alliance-wide program is designed to:
✔️ Implement mandatory nutrition screening at admission using the Canadian Nutrition Screening Tool
✔️ Trigger automatic referrals to Registered Dietitians
✔️ Ensure assessment and intervention for every at-risk patient
✔️ Strengthen ongoing collaboration with the Canadian Malnutrition Taskforce to refine and improve our processes
These changes mean better screening ➜ better care ➜ better outcomes.
We’re committed to ensuring every patient receives the timely nutritional support they need to heal safely and fully.
