Supporting Care Coordination between Primary Care Providers and Registered Dietitians

The following materials were designed by the a team of experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Heart Association, to help support primary care providers (PCPs) and registered dietitians (RDs) provide comprehensive and coordinated weight management care for patients and families. These materials were developed as part of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation's Healthier Generation Benefit, which enables healthcare providers to be an active part of the solution to the obesity epidemic by providing eligible children with at least four follow up visits with their primary care provider, and four visits with a registered dietitian as part of their health insurance benefits. These resources can be helpful to any primary care practitioners and registered dietitians who wish to provide comprehensive multidisciplinary care to patients who are overweight or obese, or at risk for overweight or obesity.

Webinar

• Care Coordination Webinar
  The target audience for this webinar is Registered Dietitians (RDs) and primary care providers (PCPs) interested in providing care for children from ages 3 to 18 years. This session highlights a case study of coordinated pediatric weight management care between a pediatrician and registered dietitian team. The logistics of coordinating visits and communication are covered and specific obstacles are addressed. Participants will learn how to connect with an RD or PCP counterpart and resources to support coordinated care developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Heart Association, and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation are discussed in detail.

Materials

• Connecting With a Provider: How to find a PCP or RD in your area for coordination of care.
• Suggested Pediatric Weight Management Protocols: Visual reference charts for PCPs and RDs to coordinate the process and scheduling of pediatric weight management care office visits.
• Pediatric Weight Management — Medical Summary: A form for PCPs to guide the assessment component of the child’s first office visit.
• Pediatric Weight Management — Ongoing Care Coordination and Information Sharing: A form for PCPs and RDs to summarize and document key information from each office visit.

Supporting Documents

Developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

• Academy Pediatric Weight Management Evidence-Based Nutrition Practice Guideline Algorithm: An overview of the services provided by a RD related to nutrition screening, assessment and intervention.
• Target Behaviors Checklist and Possible Framework: Behaviors identified by AAP Endorsed Expert Committee Recommendations on the Assessment, Prevention and Treatment of Child and Adolescent Overweight and Obesity.
• Nutrition Topics: A variety of nutrition education and counseling topics, based on recommendations cited in the Academy Evidence-Based Pediatric Weight Management Nutrition Guidelines, that may be provided by RDs during the child’s office visits.
• Academy Initial and Follow-up Pediatric Weight Management Progress Notes (included in the Academy Pediatric Weight Management Toolkit): A form for RDs to document nutrition services that occur during each visit with the child/family. The form can be attached with the Care Coordination and Information Sharing form and sent to the PCP and included in the child’s medical record.

Background

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a partnership between the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, has convened national medical associations, leading insurers and employers to offer comprehensive health benefits to children and families for the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity.

The Healthier Generation Benefit enables healthcare providers to be an active part of the solution to the obesity epidemic by providing eligible children with at least four follow up visits with their primary care provider, and four visits with a registered dietitian as part of their health insurance benefits. This program is in adherence with the AAP endorsed Expert Committee Recommendations on the Assessment, Prevention and Treatment of Child and Adolescent Overweight and Obesity, the Medical Home model, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Practice Guidelines.

We invite you to use the Pediatric Weight Management Resources to support care coordination efforts between primary care providers and registered dietitians, and help families establish and maintain a healthy lifestyle.