Provide an overview of clinical and economic burden of malnutrition Review published evidence on how nutrition care programs can improve patient outcomes and reduce costs Discuss nutrition health policy advancements and what is needed to shape standards of care and nutrition policies and programs
Suela Sulo, Ph.D., is a health outcomes researcher and implementation scientist currently leading the Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Real-world Evidence, and Policy work for Abbott’s global nutrition research and development. Since joining Abbott in 2016, Suela has helped design and disseminate numerous research studies and quality improvement programs, which support the development of pathways to care for at-risk or malnourished patients across different healthcare settings and demonstrate the impact of nutrition interventions on improving process and patient outcomes, reducing healthcare costs, and advancing health equity. Suela’s work has been instrumental in the development and inclusion of the first ever nutrition-focused quality measure in the US government pay-for-performance payment program. Prior to joining Abbott, Suela was the manager of Patient Centered Outcomes Research for one of the largest healthcare systems in the US, where amongst conducting research studies and programs in different therapeutic areas, she also led the efforts to implement the first nutrition-focused quality improvement program developed to reduce 30-day readmissions, length of stay, and costs in hospitalized patients. This program has been implemented in hundreds of hospital systems across US and internationally, and has contributed to important advancements in nutrition policies globally. Suela received a Bachelor and Master of Science in Psychology and Counseling from University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, and a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, USA. Suela has over 15 years of research experience and has published more than 100 articles and book chapters.