SNOMED CT NCPT Reference Set

The SNOMED CT Nutrition Care Process Terminology (NCPT) Reference Set is a product agreed as part of a collaboration agreement between the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the International Health Terminology Standards Organisation (IHTSDO), trading as SNOMED International. NCPT content has been incorporated into SNOMED CT and released as a reference set by SNOMED International. This production release is based on NCPT, 2020 edition. NCPT is available at www.nutritioncareprocess.org (log in required). 

Why is the SNOMED CT NCPT reference set needed?

The SNOMED CT NCPT reference set comprises concept references from the SNOMED CT hierarchy, each carefully aligned with the Nutrition Care Process Terminology. In the absence of a dedicated nutrition hierarchy within SNOMED CT, these concepts are sourced from multiple subhierarchies. The reference set effectively organizes these nutrition-specific concepts, streamlining their integration into electronic documentation.

What is it?

When downloaded, the SNOMED CT NCPT Reference Set is a list of SNOMED CT concept identifiers. To utilize the codes referenced in the set, a user must also have access to the International Edition of SNOMED CT. A user will find in the International Edition of SNOMED CT all the associated concept names and relationships (definitions). Please see below the "Explore the SNOMED CT Reference Set" section and 6. Technical Application.

The initial release of this reference set contained 166 NCPT nutrition problems from the Clinical Finding and Situation with Explicit Context hierarchies. These represent Nutrition Diagnoses from the 2020 Nutrition Care Process Terminology publication including nutrition intake findings, clinical nutrition diagnoses and behavioral-environmental nutrition diagnoses.  The current release of the SNOMED CT NCPT Reference Set (released in April 2025) contains updated nutrition problems and the addition of nutrition intervention terms mapped to SNOMED CT (CP=a total of XYZ concepts, I think 584, to be verified). After that nutrition assessment and monitoring and evaluation terms will also be added (April 2026, as time and resources permit). This gradual updating of the SNOMED CT reference set that prioritized nutrition problems aligns with data from the International NCP Implementation Survey (INIS). Specifically, INIS data showed countries implementing the documentation of nutrition problems first. Future annual releases of the reference set will contain additional content of nutrition concepts in the NCPT. Further information on the background, motivation and design of the reference set is available in the release notes.  SNOMED CT Nutrition Care Process Terminology (NCPT) Refset package Release Notes

Concepts follow the SNOMED naming conventions and the NCPT terms are often included in SNOMED CT as synonyms (when appropriate as preferred terms).  The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics maintains an electronic NCPT manual that provides guidance on how to use terms in nutrition and dietetics practice (www.nutritioncareprocess.org, log-in required).  In the electronic NCPT manual, terms are explained in reference sheets. Reference sheets for nutrition diagnoses provide a definition, common etiologies, and signs and symptoms (defining characteristics).  A committee of subject matter experts from around the world has been developing and maintaining the Academy's NCPT since 2003. Terms and definitions have been submitted to SNOMED International as part of the agreement between the two organizations (SNOMED CT and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics). 

Explore the SNOMED CT NCPT Reference set

The following pages provide instructions for exploring the members of the NCPT Reference set.

• Explore all Members of the SNOMED CT NCPT Reference Set
• Check if a concept is part of the SNOMED CT NCPT Reference Set