Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics (STAMP) in the Electronic Health Record: A Validation Study

Abstract Background The impact of malnutrition on pediatric patients in the acute care setting is significant. Hospitalized patients with malnutrition have been shown to have poor clinical outcomes. Nutrition screening is the first critical step in identifying and treating malnutrition. Although several pediatric nutrition screening tools exist, none incorporate both electronic health record (EHR) compatibility and the recommended indicators of pediatric malnutrition, a gap recently identified in a systematic review by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The aim of this study was to prove the validity of a new version of Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics (STAMP), EHR‐STAMP, modified for incorporation into the EHR and inclusion of updated pediatric malnutrition indicators. Methods An interprofessional team modified the existing STAMP for integration into the EHR. Audits were performed by the research dietitian to assess accuracy and provide feedback for continuous improvement of the tool design. Results A total of 3553 pediatric inpatients were studied from August 2017 to May 2019. Accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity improved with each modification to the EHR‐STAMP. The final version of the EHR‐STAMP found 85% accuracy, 89% sensitivity, and 97% specificity, with a positive predictive value of 60% and a negative predictive value of 94%. Conclusion The EHR‐STAMP is a highly reliable tool in the screening of nutrition risk for pediatric hospitalized patients. The tool is easy to use, EHR compatible, and incorporates the current indicators recommended for assessing pediatric malnutrition.