Issues Management Committee Report Spring 2008

The role of the Issues Management Committee is to provide education, direction and oversight to the Issues Management Process adopted by the House of Delegates in Spring 2001. The Committee is composed of the Speaker-elect and four other ADA members. The following is an update of Committee activities since June 1, 2007.

  • Since its inception, the Issues Management Committee has received over 950 issues.
  • The Committee conducted their orientation and planning meeting on July 20, 2007. The Committee has met six times via conference call during the 2007-08 Program Year: August 8, 2007; September 19, 2007; October 31, 2007; December 12, 2007; January 23, 2008; and March 12, 2008.
  • Since June 1, 2007, the Committee has received 131 issues. One hundred and thirty of these issues have been addressed. The remaining one is pending response by an ADA organizational unit.
  • The top five issue categories are as follows: resources (17); member benefits (16); FNCE (12); CDR issues (11); and promotion of dietetic professionals (9).
  • The response rate to the Satisfaction Survey for this program year has been 30%. A response rate of 25% has been identified as the threshold that if below, the Committee will randomly contact members who have submitted issues to obtain satisfaction data and reasons for not responding.
  • Satisfaction continues to be high with both process and response.
  • The ADA Web site continues to be top means that members become aware of the Issues Management Process.
  • The Issues Management Committee has brought forth one issue to the House Leadership Team for Mega Issue consideration. This issue was incorporated as part of a larger issue.
  • “Tell Us Your Issues” forms were available during FNCE 2007 at: the HOD meeting, the Affiliate Informational Meeting, the Practice DPG Chair/Chair-elect/PID Session, and at the Member Service Center booth.
  • The Committee has updated the Issues Management Web page (www.eatright.org/issues) to make it easier to read.
  • The following Frequently Asked Questions were added to the Web page:
    • What is ADA Doing to Promote Registered Dietitians?
    • Where Can I Find Resources to Learn More about Implementing the Nutrition Care Process (NCP)?
    • Clarify the Structure and Rules for Membership at State and District Level Including Students
    • Should ADA consider changing the title, Registered Dietitian, to something else?
    • Does ADA Have Guidelines for RD/DTR Staffing in Healthcare Facilities?
    • Is it Within the Scope of Practice of DTRs to Perform Nutrition Assessments, Assign Nutrition Diagnoses and Plan Interventions?
    • What Optional Member Benefits [such as liability insurance] Does ADA Offer?
    • What is ADA’s Policy on Speaker Compensation for Presenters at FNCE?
    • Why Do We Need to Have the Professional Development Portfolio Process?
    • How does ADA support member's efforts to obtain reimbursement for RD with insurance companies?
    • How does a Registered Dietitian become a Medicare MNT provider?
    • What are the ADA and the profession doing to eliminate health disparities?
  • In an effort to improve member satisfaction with responses and build awareness of the Issues Management Process, Issues Management Committee Resource Staff conducted Issues Management 502 to 20 ADA staff members representing a variety of ADA Teams. Overall feedback was positive with all attendees reporting that they were likely to use the information presented.

For more information regarding the Issues Management Committee and the Issues Management Process, visit www.eatright.org/issues or contact Heidi Schwartz at hschwartz@eatright.org or 800/877-1600 ext 4893.

2007-2008 Issues Management Committee
Cynthia A Wolfram, RD LD — Chair
Barbara J Pyper, MS RD CD — Member
Marsha K Schofield, MS RD LD — Member
Luana S Tomchak, RD LD CDE — Member
Suzanne P Vieira, MS RD LDN — Member
Heidi C Schwartz, MS RD LD CSP — Headquarters Partner

  • Member Issues
    Do you have a concern?  Do you have an issue?  Submit it to the Issues Management Committee.
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