Nutrition Care Process Terminology (NCPT)

The NCPT includes a set of terms for each step of the NCP. Nutrition Assessment terms describe observed and measured data that provide evidence about nutrition-related problems or diagnoses. Nutrition Diagnosis terms describe the nutrition problem that nutrition and dietetics professionals are responsible for treating. Intervention terms describe planned actions aimed toward resolving nutrition problems. The Nutrition Assessment and Monitoring and Evaluation steps share, for the most part, the same terminology. Specifically, Nutrition Assessment terms that describe Client History are not included in the Monitoring and Evaluation terminology because nutrition interventions cannot change a client's history. When terms are used in the Monitoring and Evaluation step, they are used to describe outcomes or expected outcomes relevant to the Nutrition Diagnosis. NCP Terms for each step are organized by Domains. Domains are further organized into Classes and Subclasses. For example, the term Energy Intake falls under the Domain: Food/Nutrition-related History. (Detailed information on the current organization of NCPT and term definitions can be found atwww.ncpro.org (log in required)).

By employing standardized terminology and coding conventions outlined in NCPT, nutrition and dietetics professionals can ensure consistency, accuracy, and interoperability (automated data exchange) in documenting nutrition and dietetics care data across different electronic health record (EHR) systems. This standardized approach supports improved data quality, enhances communication between healthcare providers, and enables meaningful analysis and research on nutrition and dietetics care outcomes and health outcomes.

The development and adoption of the Nutrition Care Process Terminology (NCPT) have been the result of extensive international collaboration and usage, reflecting a global consensus on the need for standardized documentation and communication of nutrition and dietetics care data.

While vendors may initially question the investment required to integrate NCPT into electronic health record (EHR) systems, understanding its widespread acceptance and the benefits it offers can illuminate its value.

NCPT and SNOMED CT

Clinicians stand to benefit significantly from utilizing NCPT, regardless of whether they are already using SNOMED CT or not, as it provides a standardized language for documenting nutrition care data. The integration of NCPT with SNOMED CT further enhances its utility, facilitating seamless interoperability and enabling clinicians to leverage the NCPT refset within the EHR. Even if clinicians are already using SNOMED CT, the NCPT refset offer additional value by providing a curated set of concepts specifically tailored to document nutrition diagnosis within the Nutrition Care Process, streamlining documentation and ensuring consistency across practices.

This integration not only enhances the quality and efficiency of nutrition and dietetics care delivery but also supports informed clinical decision-making and research efforts aimed at improving patient outcomes. 

For systems who use NCPT as an interface terminology and pursuing to enable SNOMED CT, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics maintains mappings from NCPT to SNOMED CT (www.ncpro.org , log in required).

In summary, the NCP Model and NCPT represent foundational tools for guiding professionals in delivering evidence-based, personalized nutrition and dietetics care. By adopting tools like these, healthcare organizations can enhance the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of nutrition and dietetics care delivery, ultimately promoting better health outcomes for individuals and communities alike. Wide adoption also facilitates communication, data exchange and aggregation among health delivery systems, making the accumulation of big data and advanced analyses possible.