Evidence-based Practice Committee Report Spring 2008

The Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Committee is a joint committee of the Board of Directors and House of Delegates. The charge of the EBP Committee is to oversee the development and implementation of evidence-based practice, including the evidence analysis process and maintenance of the Evidence Analysis Library (EAL), development and publication of all Evidence-Based Nutrition Practice Guidelines and Toolkits and other products based on the results of evidence analysis. Below you will find the progress of the EBP Committee since September 2007:

General Operating Activities

This program year, the committee conducted one meeting and seven conference calls to manage committee business and complete the Program of Work for 2007-2008.

Activities Related to ADA’s Evidence Analysis Process and Workgroups

  • A workgroup selection sub-committee of the EBP Committee meets monthly to manage workgroup selection for evidence analysis projects. The sub-committee appointed members for four new projects Breastfeeding, Fortification and Supplements, Aspartame and Sodium; and appointed additional members to the Disorders of Lipid Metabolism, Nutrition Counseling, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Spinal Cord Injury workgroups.
  • The committee revised or approved the following procedures related to ADA’s Evidence Analysis Process:
    • Procedure for Approval and Initiation of Workgroup Members,
    • Process for Updating Evidence Analysis Library,
    • Abbreviated Guideline Review Process
    • Joint Policy and Procedure for Evidence-Based Position Development
    • Policy on Journal Articles for Evidence Analysis Topics
  • Using an established process, the committee prioritized evidence analysis projects which will help in planning for the 2008-2009 budget year, recommending continuation of existing projects and the initiation of two new projects on “health disparities” and “pre-diabetes”.
  • The committee developed and conducted two surveys to assess how users are implementing the ADA Evidence-Based Nutrition Practice Guidelines and Evidence-Based Toolkits. Results were used to make improvements to the Evidence Analysis Library (EAL).
  • The committee conducted the first phase of an EAL Usability Test in April 2008, which included an online survey about navigation and interpretation of information on the EAL. Results are used as baseline data for future surveys and have focused the second phase of the test, which will include phone interviews regarding usability.

Activities Related to Guideline and Toolkit Development

  • Three Evidence-based Nutrition Practice Guidelines were published under the oversight of the committee, including those for oncology, diabetes type 1 and 2, and hypertension.
  • The committee took part in the review process for the Heart Failure Evidence-based Nutrition Practice Guidelines. Publication of the guidelines on the Evidence Analysis Library is expected in May 2008.
  • Under the oversight of the committee, the Adult Weight Management Toolkit, the companion materials to the Adult Weight Management Evidence-Based Nutrition Practice Guideline was published in September 2007, generating over $7000 in sales and increasing sales of other products in the EAL Store.
  • The Disorders of Lipid Metabolism Toolkit, the companion materials to the Disorders of Lipid Metabolism Evidence-based Nutrition Practice Guideline, has been purchased by 426 customers since publication in July 2006 generating over $10,000.00 in revenue.
  • The Critical Illness Toolkit will undergo a usability test through the Dietetic Practice Based Research Network, beginning in April 2008. The toolkit will function as the companion materials for applying the Critical Illness Evidence-Based Nutrition Practice Guideline.
  • The Committee is overseeing 23 ongoing evidence analysis projects including the development of the Gestational Diabetes, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Spinal Cord Injury and Unintended Weight Loss Evidence-Based Nutrition Practice Guidelines and development of the Oncology, Pediatric Weight Management and Diabetes Toolkits this program year.

Dissemination/Implementation Activities

  • A dissemination sub-committee of the EBP Committee meets monthly to plan dissemination initiatives and presentations for ADA’s evidence-based resources. Presentations have been conducted or are planned for the following meetings: Iowa Consultant Dietitians in Health Care Facilities, Weight Management DPG Symposium and the North East Pennsylvania, Central Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Vermont Dietetic Associations.
  • The committee is selecting members for the “Critical Illness Network”, a network designed to implement the Critical Illness Evidence-based Nutrition Practice Guideline and to gain buy-in for evidence-based dietetics practice.
  • The committee supported two evidence-based educational sessions at FNCE 2007: “Implementing Evidence-Based Medical Nutrition Therapy for Diabetes and Using Evidence to Treat Overweight” and “Obesity: ADA’s Adult and Pediatric Weight Management MNT Guidelines”.
  • The committee is supporting two evidence-based educational sessions for FNCE 2008 and each were approved: “A Practitioner’s Guide: Treating Hypertension Using the Evidence Analysis Library” and “The World of Hydration: An Evidenced-Based Evaluation"

Collaborations

  • The pre-FNCE (2007) workshop, “Real-World Application of the Nutrition Care Process, Evidence-Based Nutrition Practice Guidelines and Toolkits” was conducted in collaboration with the Nutrition Care Process/Standardized Language (NCP/SL) Committee. Chairs from each committee were part of the five-person speaker panel.
  • A FNCE (2007) presentation “Ethical and Evidence-Based Practice Go Hand in Hand” was conducted in collaboration with the Ethics Committee.
  • A pre-FNCE (2008) workshop, “Nutrition and the 21st Century: Next Steps for Incorporating Nutrition into Electronic Medical Records” was submitted, approved and will be conducted in collaboration with the Nutrition Care Process/Standardized Language (NCP/SL) Committee.
  • Through an annual voting process, the Committee identified positions that are suited for updating using the evidence analysis process. The Associations Positions Committee will use these suggestions to determine which positions will be selected for this process.
  • The committee collaborated with the Coding and Coverage and NCP/SL committees to develop an article on physician referrals titled, “Referral Systems in Ambulatory Care: Providing Access to the Nutrition Care Process.” This article will be published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association and is also available on the ADA website.
  • Two EBP Committee representatives participate on the “Measures Workgroup” which directs ADA’s development and implementation of nutrition quality measures. This workgroup, which also consists of members from Coding and Coverage, Quality Management and NCP/SL Committees, meets monthly and has conducted one meeting and six conference calls this program year.

Communications

  • The Committee continues to work with the ADA marketing team to promote Evidence-Based Nutrition Practice Guidelines and Toolkits. Communications include articles or advertisements in the Journal, House Calls, DPG Newsletters, press releases and DPG/Affiliate electronic mailing lists.

More detailed information is available at www.adaevidencelibrary.com. For additional information, please contact Kathleen Niedert at kniedert@aol.com or Kari Kren at kkren@eatright.org or 800/877-1600, ext. 4877.

2007-2008 Evidence-Based Practice Committee
Kathleen C Niedert, MBA, RD, CSG, LD, FADA, Chair
Nancy McQuillan-Copperman, MS, RD, Vice-chair
Ethan Bergman, PhD, RD, CD, FADA
JoAnn Carson, PhD, RD, LD
David Frankenfield, MS, RD
M. Patricia Fuhrman, MS, RD, LD, FADA, CNSD
Wahida Karmally, DrPH, RD, CDE, CLS
Sue Kent, MS, RD, LD
Jessie Pavlinac, MS, RD, CSR, LD
Kari Kren, MPH, RD, LD, ADA Staff Partner

   Print Version