CLINICAL INDICATORS FOR ONCOLOGY, CARDIOVASCULAR, AND SURGICAL PATIENTS - REPORT OF THE ADA COUNCIL ON PRACTICE QUALITY ASSURANCE COMMITTEE

Clinical indicators were developed as an ADA project for use by the membership and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations as part of its Agenda for Change. This 3-year project involved three clinical indicator task forces who developed clinical indicators for oncology, cardiovascular, and surgical adult acute-care setting patient populations. The task forces developed clinical indicators that were revised after an extensive field review and validation by field test. The following indicators were recommended: Cardiovascular - Patients at high risk for impaired nutritional status receive nutrition intervention within 5 days of admission or within consecutive 5 days on clear liquid diet/nothing by mouth; Patients make food choices consistent with theraputic diet. Oncology - No patient is on clear-liquid diet/nothing by mouth without nutrition support for more than 5 days; All patients at moderate or high risk are identified by screening and assessed within 72 hours of admission; Patients at moderate or high risk are able to implement nutrition care plan at discharge. Surgery - No patient is on clear-liquid diet/nothing by mouth without nutrition support for more than 7 days; No patient has weight loss greater than 10% of admission weight at discharge; calorie and protein and/or volume goals for patients on enteral or parenteral nutrition are documented in the medical record; Patients on enteral or parenteral nutrition receive at least 1,000 kcal/day by the fourth day after an operation.