Studies have demonstrated that critically ill patients have unknowingly been undernourished for numerous reasons. Some of the reasons for this include late initiation of feeding, interruption of feeding for logistical issues, failure to feed because of intrinsic patient issues and failure to cumulatively account for caloric intake. Another less obvious and unrecognized source for underfeeding is the failure of present day enteral pumps to deliver prescribed volumes of feeding accurately.

The Joint Commission is now emphasizing standards related to food and nutrition. Hospitals are required to assess and reassess patients for identification of nutritional risk, nutritional screening criteria, consultation and referrals, nutritional adequacy of patient diet and specific population needs such as NPO, receiving hyperalimentation, on mechanical ventilators, in isolation or suffering from burns.

The NAT System demonstrates the ability to overcome nutritional challenges that exist today in nutrition therapy impacting patient outcome, hospital length of stay time, and cost-effectiveness.