Barriers and Opportunities for Clinical Nutritionists in 13 Latin American Countries: A Qualitative Study.

A clinical nutritionist (CN) is a university-educated professional trained to perform preventive and recovery functions in the health of patients. The actions of these professionals, both worldwide and in Latin America, may face barriers and opportunities that require careful identification and examination. The main objective of this study is to identify the most important barriers and opportunities for the clinical nutritionist in 13 Latin American countries. A qualitative study was carried out; the initial phase involved conducting in-depth individual interviews with 89 informants, experienced CNs from 13 Latin American countries. After calculating the mean and standard deviation, we ranked the top 10 most frequently reported barriers by assigning a score ranging from 1 to 10. Additionally, 3 opportunities were identified with a lower score from 1 to 3. Means and standard deviation were calculated to sort the responses. Results: the most important barrier was the absence of public policies that regulate and/or monitor compliance with the staffing of CNs according to the number of hospital beds, while the most important opportunity was the advances in technology such as software, body analysis equipment and other tools used in Nutritional Care. The identified barriers can interfere with the professional performance of CNs and, moreover, make it difficult to monitor the good nutritional status of patients. It is recommended to consider the barriers identified in this study, as well as the opportunities, with a view to improving the quality of hospital services with an adequate supply of nutritionists.

Minimum reporting standards for process and outcomes assessments for private practice dietitians working in Australian primary care: The Thought Leader Consensus study.

AIM: To identify minimum reporting standards for assessing the processes and outcomes of Australian primary care dietetics practice. METHODS: A sequential, mixed-method, exploratory process with peer-nominated Australian 'thought leaders'. A literature review was undertaken to identify possible standards, followed by semi-structured qualitative interviews with thought leaders. Content analysis was used to identify a comprehensive group of items that could inform evidence-based reporting standards. Two rounds of a modified Delphi survey were conducted with the same thought leaders to seek consensus on the most relevant items. Individual items were analysed for content validity, and those with a rating of excellent item-content validity (index >0.78) were included as evidenced-based standards for primary care practice. RESULTS: Twenty-six thought leaders (response rate: 87%) from all mainland Australian states completed a qualitative interview and two rounds of modified-Delphi consensus surveys. Items were identified and categorised into three domains: business, clinical, and implementation. Content analysis identified 216 items published or used in practice by the thought leaders. After two rounds of consensus review, 97 items (45 business, 33 clinical, and 19 implementation) achieved excellent consensus ratings. Combining these items into a standardised tool, the scale-content validity index average was >0.90, which is considered excellent content validity. CONCLUSIONS: This study has identified minimum reporting standards for evidence-based process and outcome assessments in primary care dietetics practice in Australia. Incorporating such standards into a standardised tool could enable benchmarking across the dietetics workforce and contribute to a broader understanding of the dietetic impact on public health.

Nutrition Care Process Quality Evaluation and Standardization Tool: The Next Frontier in Quality Evaluation of Documentation.

Documentation is essential for communicating care between credentialed nutrition and dietetics practitioners and other health care providers. A validated tool that can evaluate quality documentation of the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) encounter, including progress on outcomes is lacking. The aim of the NCP Quality Evaluation and Standardization Tool (QUEST) validation study is to revise an existing NCP audit tool and evaluate it when used within US Veterans Affairs in all clinical care settings. Six registered dietitian nutritionists revised an existing NCP audit tool. The revised tool (NCP-QUEST) was analyzed for clarity, relevance, and reliability. Eighty-five documentation notes (44 initial, 41 reassessment) were received from eight volunteer Veterans Affairs sites. Five of six registered dietitian nutritionists participated in the interrater reliability testing blinded to each other's ratings; and two registered dietitian nutritionists participated in intrarater reliability reviewing the same notes 6 weeks later blinded to the original ratings. Results showed moderate levels of agreement in interrater reliability (Krippendorff's α = .62 for all items, .66 for total score, and .52 for quality category rating). Intrarater reliability was excellent for all items (α = .86 to .87 for all items; .91 to .94 for total score and.74 to .89 for quality category rating). The NCP-QUEST has high content validity (Content Validity Index = 0.78 for item level, and 0.9 for scale level) after two cycles of content validity review. The tool can facilitate critical thinking, improved linking of NCP chains, and is a necessary foundation for quality data collection and outcomes management. The NCP-QUEST tool can improve accuracy and confidence in charting.

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Revised 2021 Standards of Professional Performance for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (Competent, Proficient, and Expert) in Management of Food and Nutrition Systems.

Management of food and nutrition systems (MFNS) encompasses the varied roles of registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) with administrative responsibilities for food and nutrition services within an organization. RDNs in MFNS are frequently employed in acute care, but also expand into a multitude of other settings in which management of nutrition and foodservice is required, for example, foodservice departments in assisted living and post-acute and long-term care; colleges and universities, kindergarten through grade 12 and pre-kindergarten schools and childcare; retail foodservice operations; correctional facilities; and companies that produce, distribute, and sell food products. RDNs in MFNS aim to create work environments that support high-quality customer-centered care and services, attract and retain talented staff, and foster an atmosphere of collaboration and innovation. The Management in Food and Nutrition Systems Dietetic Practice Group, with guidance from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Management Committee, has revised the Standards of Professional Performance (SOPP) for RDNs in MFNS for 3 levels of practice: competent, proficient, and expert. The SOPP describes 6 domains that focus on professional performance: Quality in Practice, Competence and Accountability, Provision of Services, Application of Research, Communication and Application of Knowledge, and Utilization and Management of Resources. Indicators outlined in the SOPP depict how these standards apply to practice. The standards and indicators for RDNs in MFNS are written with the leader in mind-to support an individual in a leadership role or who has leadership aspirations. The SOPP is intended to be used by RDNs for self-evaluation to assure competent professional practice.

Roles and competencies in the nutritional domain for the management of the metabolic diseases and in the hospital setting: A position paper of the Italian College of Academic Nutritionists, MED-49 (ICAN-49).

Epidemiological evidence has confirmed the potential causal relationship between specific dietary factors and non-communicable diseases. However, currently nutrition was shown to be insufficiently integrated into medical education, regardless of the country. Without an adequate nutrition education, it is reasonable to assume that future physicians, as well as other health care professionals, will be not able to provide the highest quality care to patients in preventing and treating non-communicable diseases. Furthermore, the insufficient availability of physicians with specializations in nutrition has posed the basis for the development of non-medical careers in the field of nutrition. The present document was drafting by the Italian College of Academic Nutritionists, MED-49 (ICAN-49), with the aim to provide an overview on the nutritional competency standards covered by several health care professionals (Physicians Clinical Nutrition Specialists, Clinical Dietitians, Professional Clinical Nutrition Specialists, etc) for the prevention of diseases and/or support of pharmacological therapies. The aim of the ICAN 49 is to suggest a major shift in practice opportunities and roles for many nutritionists, especially for the management of the metabolic diseases, and promote a paradigm change: a clinical and educational leadership role for Physician Clinical Nutrition Specialists in the hospital setting.

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition: Revised 2021 Standards of Practice and Standards of Professional Performance for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (Competent, Proficient, and Expert) in Nutrition Support.

Nutrition support is a therapy that crosses all ages, diseases, and conditions as health care practitioners strive to meet the nutritional requirements of individuals who are unable to meet nutritional and/or hydration needs with oral intake alone. Registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs), as integral members of the nutrition support team provide needed information, such as identification of malnutrition risk, macro- and micronutrient requirements, and type of nutrition support therapy (eg, enteral or parenteral), including the route (eg, nasogastric vs nasojejunal or tunneled catheter vs port). The Dietitians in Nutrition Support Dietetic Practice Group, American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, along with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Management Committee, have updated the Standards of Practice (SOP) and Standards of Professional Performance (SOPP) for RDNs working in nutrition support. The SOP and SOPP for RDNs in Nutrition Support provide indicators that describe the following 3 levels of practice: competent, proficient, and expert. The SOP uses the Nutrition Care Process and clinical workflow elements for delivering patient/client care. The SOPP describes the 6 domains that focus on professional performance. Specific indicators outlined in the SOP and SOPP depict how these standards apply to practice. The SOP and SOPP are complementary resources for RDNs and are intended to be used as a self-evaluation tool for assuring competent practice in nutrition support and for determining potential education and training needs for advancement to a higher practice level in a variety of settings.

The P.O.S.T Guidelines for Nutrition Blogs: A Modified e-Delphi Study.

BACKGROUND: Blogs are being used increasingly to disseminate nutrition information to consumers, including by registered dietitians (RDs). Guidelines in authoring blogs are important for dietetics professionals so that they effectively communicate evidence-based nutrition information in this format. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to obtain consensus from experts comprising RDs with active blog-writing experience on a set of guidelines for use by RDs when authoring a healthy eating or nutrition information blog. DESIGN: A modified e-Delphi technique with a consensus-based approach was used in this study undertaken between June and October 2019. The purpose-built, pilot-tested e-Delphi survey was informed by a literature review and included statements from 3 domains comprising blog readers and communication; purpose and healthy eating messages; and structure, voice, and tone. Expert participants were identified purposively and via snowballing. In each survey round, statements that achieved 80% consensus were accepted. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: A total of 19 experts consented to participate. Experts resided in the United States, Australia, and United Kingdom. Experts were mainly women aged between 30 and 49 years and working in private practice and/or research or teaching areas of nutrition and dietetics. RESULTS: Across 3 domains, a total of 33 statements were accepted, comprising a final set of guidelines named the P.O.S.T (purpose, community, structure, and tone) Guidelines for Nutrition Blogs. CONCLUSIONS: Consensus from a panel of dietetics experts resulted in the P.O.S.T Guidelines for Nutrition Blogs, which can support RDs in authoring healthy eating blogs. This will ensure that evidence-based nutrition messages provided to consumers are engaging and effective.

British Dietetic Association's Obesity Specialist Group dietetic obesity management interventions in children and young people: review & clinical application.

BACKGROUND: Dietitians play a vital role in the management of childhood obesity. To support that role the Obesity Specialist Group of the British Dietetic Association commissioned a review and clinical application paper. This current paper is a summary of that review document, which is available on the BDA's website. METHODS: The initial sources of evidence were guidelines, published reviews and government guidance. Best practice advice was sought from networks including the BDA's Obesity and Paediatric Specialists groups. The original document was reviewed by a review group and members of the Obesity and Paediatric Specialist group's committees. RESULTS: The overall aim of dietetic interventions in childhood weight management should be to deliver evidence based dietetic weight management care, which helps maintain positive lifestyle changes. To support this aim the review recommends the UK BMI cut off points in setting service referral and triaging criteria. Ensuring the whole child's world is taken into account when undertaking assessment and throughout the programme process is essential. Dietitians working in this field require behavioural change skills, motivational techniques and the ability to communicate to children of differing ages and their parents. Knowledge of local child safe guarding procedures are necessary for all working in this field. Recommendations on basic and advanced skills required are specified. CONCLUSIONS: This paper was written to compliment a full review document. The complexities around case management, child protection issues and competing family motivations require dietitians trained at undergraduate and postgraduate level to deliver high quality weight management and behavioural change.

Assessing Cultural Intelligence and Study Abroad Experiences of Dietetics Students and Professionals.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between study abroad participation and levels of cultural intelligence (CQ) of dietetics students and professionals. METHODS: Participants were recruited via e-mail to complete an online survey, which included the Cultural Intelligence Scale and an additional 21 items developed and partially validated by the researchers. A mixed-method analysis was used to examine relationships between CQ levels, study abroad program participation, and international travel experiences. RESULTS: Participation in study abroad programs and international travel experiences were related to higher levels of CQ in metacognitive (P = 0.003; P < 0.001), cognitive (P = 0.001; P = 0.001), motivational (P < 0.001; P < 0.001), and behavioral (P = 0.02; P < 0.001) dimensions. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Results suggest that participation in study abroad programs and international travel experiences may result in high CQ levels and may equip students and practicing dietitians with skills, knowledge, and resources for practicing in culturally diverse communities. Future experimental research implementing study abroad programs and international travel opportunities for this population may help determine how these experiences impact dietetics practice in the long term.

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Revised 2020 Standards of Practice and Standards of Professional Performance for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (Competent, Proficient, and Expert) in Eating Disorders.

Eating disorders (ED) are complex mental illnesses and are not a result of personal choice. Full recovery from an ED is possible. The severity and inherent lethality of an ED is undisputed, and the role of the registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) is essential. Clinical symptomology presents at varying developmental milestones and is perpetuated through a sociocultural evaluation of beauty and drive for ascetic idealism. ED are globally prevalent in 4.4% of the population aged 5 to 17 years, yet affect individuals across the entire lifespan, including all cultures and genders. The Behavioral Health Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, along with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Management Committee, revised the Standards of Practice (SOP) and Standards of Professional Performance (SOPP) for RDNs in Eating Disorders. Including the RDN in ED treatment is vital for all levels of care. The RDN must be perceptive to negative symptoms indicative of psychological triggers when exploring food belief systems, patterns of disinhibition, and nutrition misinformation with clients. Through a conscious awareness of medical, psychological, and behavioral strategies, the implementation of the SOP and SOPP supports a dynamic and holistic view of ED treatment by the RDN. The SOP and SOPP are complementary resources for RDNs and are intended to be used as self-evaluation tools for assuring competent practice in ED and for determining potential education, training, supervision, and mentorship needs for advancement to a higher practice level in a variety of settings.

Assessing Adherence, Competence and Differentiation in a Stepped-Wedge Randomised Clinical Trial of a Complex Behaviour Change Intervention.

BACKGROUND: A key challenge in behavioural medicine is developing interventions that can be delivered adequately (i.e., with fidelity) within real-world consultations. Accordingly, clinical trials should (but tend not to) report what is actually delivered (adherence), how well (competence) and the distinction between intervention and comparator conditions (differentiation). PURPOSE: To address this important clinical and research priority, we apply best practice guidelines to evaluate fidelity within a real-world, stepped-wedge evaluation of "EAT: Eating As Treatment", a new dietitian delivered health behaviour change intervention designed to reduce malnutrition in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing radiotherapy. METHODS: Dietitians (n = 18) from five Australian hospitals delivered a period of routine care and following a randomly determined order each site received training and began delivering the EAT Intervention. A 20% random stratified sample of audio-recorded consultations (control n = 196; intervention n = 194) was coded by trained, independent, raters using a study specific checklist and the Behaviour Change Counselling Inventory. Intervention adherence and competence were examined relative to apriori benchmarks. Differentiation was examined by comparing control and intervention sessions (adherence, competence, non-specific factors, and dose), via multiple linear regression, logistic regression, or mixed-models. RESULTS: Achievement of adherence benchmarks varied. The majority of sessions attained competence. Post-training consultations were clearly distinct from routine care regarding motivational and behavioural, but not generic, skills. CONCLUSIONS: Although what level of fidelity is "good enough" remains an important research question, findings support the real-world feasibility of integrating EAT into dietetic consultations with HNC patients and provide a foundation for interpreting treatment effects.

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Revised 2020 Standards of Professional Performance for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (Competent, Proficient, and Expert) in Sustainable, Resilient, and Healthy Food and Water Systems.

Current systems of food production and consumption are challenged by factors such as natural resource constraints, relative unaffordability of nutrient-dense foods, persistent social inequities, and high rates of diet-related disease. Registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) play a critical role in protecting the health of current and future populations by advancing sustainable, resilient, and healthy food and water systems. By definition, such systems can meet current dietary needs without jeopardizing the ability to meet the needs of future generations; can withstand or adapt to disturbances over time; and can equitably facilitate disease prevention and well-being for all individuals. This area of practice within nutrition and dietetics requires recognition of the complex interrelationships among indiviudal health and economic, environmental, and social domains of food and nutrition, and allows RDNs to bring unique expertise to diverse interprofessional teams. The Revised 2020 Standards of Professional Performance for RDNs (Competent, Proficient, and Expert) in Sustainable, Resilient, and Healthy Food and Water Systems update the 2014 standards and cover the following 6 standards of professional performance: Quality in Practice, Competence and Accountability, Provision of Services, Application of Research, Communication and Application of Knowledge, and Utilization and Management of Resources. Within each standard, specific indicators provide measurable action statements that illustrate how the RDN can apply the principles of sustainable food systems to a variety of practice settings. The indicators describe 3 skill levels (ie, competent, proficient, and expert) for RDNs in this focus area.

Standard gastroenterologist versus multidisciplinary treatment for functional gastrointestinal disorders (MANTRA): an open-label, single-centre, randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Functional gastrointestinal disorders are common and costly to the health-care system. Most specialist care is provided by a gastroenterologist, but only a minority of patients have improvement in symptoms. Although they have proven to be effective, psychological, behavioural, and dietary therapies are not provided routinely. We aimed to compare the outcome of gastroenterologist-only standard care with multidisciplinary care. METHODS: In an open-label, single-centre, pragmatic trial, consecutive new referrals of eligible patients aged 18-80 years with Rome IV criteria-defined functional gastrointestinal disorders were randomly assigned (1:2) to receive gastroenterologist-only standard care or multidisciplinary clinic care. The multidisciplinary clinic included gastroenterologists, dietitians, gut-focused hypnotherapists, psychiatrists, and behavioural (biofeedback) physiotherapists. Randomisation was stratified by Rome IV disorder and whether referred from gastroenterology or colorectal clinic. Outcomes were assessed at clinic discharge or 9 months after the initial visit. The primary outcome was a score of 4 (slightly better) or 5 (much better) on a 5-point Likert scale assessing global symptom improvement. Modified intention-to-treat analysis included all patients who attended at least one clinic visit and who had answered the primary outcome question. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03078634. FINDINGS: Between March 16, 2017, and May 10, 2018, 1632 patients referred to the hospital gastrointestinal clinics were screened, of whom 442 were eligible for a screening telephone call and 188 were randomly assigned to receive either standard care (n=65) or multidisciplinary care (n=123). 144 patients formed the modified intention-to-treat analysis (n=46 in the standard-care group and n=98 in the multidisciplinary-care group), 90 (63%) of whom were women. 61 (62%) of 98 patients in the multidisciplinary-care group patients saw allied clinicians. 26 (57%) patients in the standard-care group and 82 (84%) patients in the multidisciplinary-care group had global symptom improvement (risk ratio 1·50 [95% CI 1·13-1·93]; p=0·00045). 29 (63%) patients in the standard-care group and 81 (83%) patients in the multidisciplinary-care group had adequate relief of symptoms in the past 7 days (p=0·010). Patients in the multidisciplinary-care group were more likely to experience a 50% or higher reduction in all Gastrointestinal Symptom Severity Index symptom clusters than were patients in the standard-care group. Of the patients with irritable bowel syndrome, a 50-point or higher reduction in IBS-SSS occurred in 10 (38%) of 26 patients in the standard care group compared with 39 (66%) of 59 patients in the multidisciplinary-care group (p=0·017). Of the patients with functional dyspepsia, a 50% reduction in the Nepean Dyspepsia Index was noted in three (11%) of 11 patients in the standard-care group and in 13 (46%) of 28 in the multidisciplinary-care group (p=0·47). After treatment, the median HADS scores were higher in the standard-care group than in the multidisciplinary-care group (13 [8-20] vs 10 [6-16]; p=0·096) and the median EQ-5D-5L quality of life visual analogue scale was lower in the standard-care group compared with the multidisciplinary-care group (70 [IQR 50-80] vs 75 [65-85]; p=0·0087). The eight SF-36 scales did not differ between the groups at discharge. After treatment, median Somatic Symptom Scale-8 score was higher in the standard-care group than in the multidisciplinary-care group (10 [IQR 7-7] vs 9 [5-13]; p=0·082). Cost per successful outcome was higher in the standard-care group than the multidisciplinary-care group. INTERPRETATION: Integrated multidisciplinary clinical care appears to be superior to gastroenterologist-only care in relation to symptoms, specific functional disorders, psychological state, quality of life, and cost of care for the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders. Consideration should be given to providing multidisciplinary care for patients with a functional gastrointestinal disorder. FUNDING: None.

Essential Academy Resources Support Quality and Expand Practice.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy) develops and maintains foundational documents that apply to all registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) and nutrition and dietetics technicians, registered (NDTRs): Scope of Practice for the RDN and NDTR; Standards of Practice in Nutrition Care and Standards of Professional Performance for RDNs and NDTRs; and the Academy and the Commission on Dietetic Registration Code of Ethics for the Nutrition and Dietetics Profession. The Quality Management Committee of the Academy has developed resources that assist RDNs and NDTRs in understanding how to work to the fullest extent of their individual scope of practice to increase professional satisfaction, achieve future employment and position goals, and provide safe and reliable services. These resources are the definition of terms list, practice tips and case studies, and scope of practice decision algorithm, which build on Academy foundational documents. They support quality practice by answering questions such as "how can I become more autonomous in my practice" and "how can I use telehealth technology in my practice?" The foundational Academy documents and practice application resources assist all RDNs and NDTRs in recognizing their individual competence and practicing within their scope of practice.

Advancements in Personalized Nutrition Technologies: Guiding Principles for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists.

Individualized nutrition counseling and care is a cornerstone of practice for registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs). The term personalized nutrition (PN) refers to "individual-specific information founded in evidence-based science to promote dietary behavior change that may result in measurable health benefits." PN technologies, which include the "omics" approaches, may offer the potential to improve specificity of nutrition care through assessment of molecular-level data, such as genes or the microbiome, in order to determine the course for nutrition intervention. These technologies are evolving rapidly, and for many RDNs, it is unclear whether, when, or how these technologies should be incorporated into the nutrition care process. In order to provide guidance in these developing PN fields, International Life Sciences Institute North America convened a multidisciplinary panel to develop guiding principles for PN approaches. The objective of this article is to inform RDN practice decisions related to the implementation of PN technologies by examining the alignment of proposed PN guiding principles with the Code of Ethics for the Nutrition and Dietetics Profession, as well as Scope and Standards of Practice. Guiding principles are described as they apply to each stage of the nutrition care process and include identifying potential beneficiaries, communicating effects transparently, and protecting individual privacy. Guiding principles for PN augment standard guidance for RDNs to pose relevant questions, raise potential concerns, and guide evaluation of supporting evidence for specific PN technologies. RDNs have a responsibility to think critically about the application of PN technologies, including appropriateness and potential effectiveness, for the individual served.

Improved meals service and reduced food waste and costs in medical institutions resulting from employment of a food service dietitian - a case study.

BACKGROUND: A recurring problem in medical institutions is patients not always receiving food meeting their nutritional and medical needs. A proposed contributing factor is non- inclusion of dietitians in food service staff. Recently, positions for food service dietitians in hospitals were created. For the newly defined role of "Food Service Dietitian", comprehensive training courses were developed (70 dietitians participated). OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of the addition of the role of a "Food Service Dietitian" in medical institutions on suitability of foods served, food costs and food waste. METHODS: A three years (2014-2017) national case study to examine the new role's impact was carried out, in 18 hospitals, nine of which employ a food service dietitian (intervention), and 9 without (control). The number of nutritional analyses of menus was checked, as was the extent of kitchen staff training, and how often night meals were served for all patients. Data were gathered regarding food costs and waste with respect to food distributed to staff and patients. Food costs savings and waste reduction were calculated, based on reduction in provision of unnecessary meals, at a cost of 18 NIS per day per meal. RESULTS: Kitchen staff training was carried out in all intervention institutions, and not in the controls. In most controls, nutritional analyses were not performed, whereas in the intervention hospitals, full analyses were performed and tailoring of menus to specific department requirements improved significantly. In most intervention hospitals, late night snacks were provided, this not being so in the controls. Total food cost savings of $229,569 per annum was seen in the six intervention hospitals, attributable to 4 factors: 1.Meals not delivered to fasting patients, or those receiving parenteral/enteral nutrition- cost savings of 328,500 NIS ($93,857)2.Better tailoring and monitoring of food delivered to the wards and staff (bread, cheese, milk etc)- annual cost savings of 235,000 NIS ($67,142) in the hospitals with a food service dietitian.3.Checking expiry dates of medical foods, and improved communication between the wards, the kitchen and the food distribution centers, has lessened food waste with savings of 5% from the medical food budget per annum of 40,000 NIS ($11,428).4.As a result of dietitian-performed nutritional analyses, tailoring of food provided according to the patient's medical and nutrition needs was improved. In one hospital, after re-evaluation of serve sizes in high protein diets, sizes were reduced while retaining adequacy, with immediate cost savings of 200,000 NIS ($57,142) per annum. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of the new role of Food Service Dietitian led to cost savings and significant improvements in adherence to the nutritional care plan.

Benchmarking the research track record and level of appointment of Australian dietetic academics.

AIMS: Research involvement is fundamental to the practice of dietetics. The present study aims to benchmark the research track record of Australian dietetic academics, and to provide insight into how research productivity informs the level of appointment of academics across the career pathway. METHODS: Australian dietetic faculty websites and corresponding Scopus database profiles were used to support a bibliographic analysis of Australian dietetic academics' research track record. Current research productivity in relation to academic attributes, level of appointment, and institutional characteristics were explored. RESULTS: In Australia, dietetic academic level of appointment is logarithmically related to number of publications and relatively consistent across regions and university networks. CONCLUSIONS: Benchmarking provides universities with guidance regarding the performance to expect from academics at each academic level as well as feedback regarding recruitment and promotion practices. The present study provides an important benchmark for Australian dietetic academics and offers implications for individual academics and university management.