Date of Publication
2023
Project Team
Matthew Perchemlides, Margaret Aitken, Lena Wasmus
Abstract
Purpose: To increase the rate of diet-management by PCPs with the use of a digital diet-tool. The Global Burden of Disease Study identifies chronic disease (CD) as the leading cause of mortality in the world and diet-quality as the leading predictor of all-cause morbidity and mortality (Afshin et al., 2019). The same is true in the United States (Gicevic et al., 2021) and in Vermont (VT DOH, 2019). Low-quality diets contribute to CD while improved diet-quality reduces morbidity and premature death (Harmon et al., 2015; Wang et al., 2019). Diet is not routinely managed by PCPs (Ahmed et al., 2016) due to barriers including, limited nutrition training, limited time, competing medical-priorities, and insufficient reimbursement (Kolasa & Rickett, 2010). Digital diet-tools are a means of overcoming these barriers, per the AHA (Vadiveloo et al., 2020)
Methods: Retrospective chart-audits established the baseline-rate of diet-management by two PCPs for adult patients. A validated, digital, diet-management tool, for professionals was available for 5 consecutive weeks. Documentation of diet-assessments and diet-planning was tabulated daily. Staff provided feedback regarding workflow, functionality, and feasibility of the practice-change.
Results: The rate of diet-management increased with this practice-change. Diet-assessment increased from 0% to 40%, diet-planning from 14% to 54% for one PCP and from 0% to 15% and 14% to 29% respectively for the second. Identification of patients with low-quality diets and high-risk of developing CD increased 20-fold among one PCP’s patients and 4-fold among the other. 55% of patients with low-quality diets received diet-management for the primary prevention of CD. Providers reported a positive opinion of the tool and practice-change.
Conclusion: Diet-management by PCPs increased with use of the digital diet-tool. This practice-change lead to the identification of patients with low-quality diets who were at high-risk of adverse health outcomes and facilitated intervention toward primary prevention of CD.
Document Type
Project
Recommended Citation
Perchemlides, Matthew DNP-c, RN, MSN, ND, FABNO; Aitken, Margaret DNP, APRN, ANP-BC; and Wasmus, Lena FNP-BC, APRN, "Efficient Diet Management in Primary Care" (2023). College of Nursing and Health Sciences Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Project Publications. 134.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/cnhsdnp/134
Included in
Cardiovascular Diseases Commons, Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Commons, Family Practice Nursing Commons, Food Studies Commons, Integrative Medicine Commons, Other Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment Commons, Preventive Medicine Commons, Primary Care Commons, Public Health and Community Nursing Commons
Comments
Digital diet tool.
Diet ID.