NCP Terminology

To clearly document the impact of nutrition on client care, professionals need to have a terminology that is capable of capturing the specifics of the care they provide. Only when the profession can capture nutrition care in a consistent way can these activities be built or coded in electronic health records (EHRs), existing databases, and research projects to identify which elements of nutrition interventions are most important in achieving positive nutrition and health outcomes.

For nutrition care, a common process (the Nutrition Care Process) with a defined and agreed upon international terminology (NCPT) supports critical thinking, clearer and more focused nutrition care, more person-centered care, increased acknowledgement of the value of nutrition care by other health care professionals, and improved application of evidence‐ based guidelines.

A free list of common structured terms are available to help meet the needs for the Malnutrition Composite Score, documentation in EHRs, and HL7 nutrition standards. Further, unique coding and identifiers for these common nutrition and dietetic terms enhance the ability to integrate the nutrition terminology in larger standardized health terminologies and standards for improved interoperability.

Standardized Health Terminologies

The NCPT is mapped (ie, linked to like concepts) and modeled (ie, computer processable) in two standardized health terminologies, Logical Observation Identifier Names and Codes (LOINC^®) and Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT^®)

Collaborations with both LOINC^® and SNOMED International, to integrate Nutrition Care Process Terminology into these languages, ensures the availability of coded concepts for clearer and improved communication and data tracking in electronic health records.

Logical Observation Identifier Names and Codes

LOINC^® is used by reference labs, healthcare providers, government agencies, insurance companies, software and device manufacturers.

Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms

SNOMED CT^® is the world's most comprehensive clinical healthcare terminology and accepted as a common global language in over 50 countries.

In April 2024, SNOMED released a reference set of terms that are matched to NCPT problem (diagnosis) concepts. For more about SNOMED CT and the reference set, please read Inclusion of the Nutrition Care Process Terminology in SNOMED CT. The article describes how this impacts nutrition and dietetic practice. Additionally, view the frequently asked questions.

Webinars and Videos

• Promoting Meaningful Electronic Health Information Exchange: Inclusion of IDDSI in SNOMED CT
• What is SNOMED CT?
• Why Record Clinical Information Electronically and Structured?
• SNOMED CT Implementations

The NCPT has been adopted, implemented and enhanced by U.S. and international professionals and organizations, as well as embraced by terminology and health information management standards.

Visit the Academy's eNCPT for additional training and subscription information for using the terminology in Electronic Health Record or Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems.

Submissions for new and/or revised NCPT concepts are welcome. Please refer to the Editorial Guidance for NCPT for developing content for the nutrition care process.