Oncology Outcomes Feasibility Study: Advocating for Every Patient to Have Access to a Dietitian

This product is free for ON DPG members.

This webinar was presented live on May 6, 2021.

The webinar goal is to show that the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) can potentially help reduce both the costs of care and improve medical outcomes for cancer patients in the outpatient setting. I will discuss the problem of oncology patients not receiving nutrition care during their course of treatment. Currently, 90% of oncology patients receive their cancer treatment in the outpatient setting. However, RDNs are currently understaffed or not employed at all in outpatient cancer centers, so many patients do not receive nutrition care prior to and during their treatment process. This understaffing situation is at least partially due to a lack of evidence regarding RDN impact on patients' medical outcomes and treatment costs in the outpatient cancer setting. I will discuss the pilot study and how it aims to show the feasibility of collecting data to examine the impact of nutrition care by an RDN on treatment, medical and economic outcomes for oncology patients. The pilot study was conducted with RDNs from six different outpatient cancer centers in the U.S. and will have two major parts: a registry study and a medical chart review. The registry study followed 42 patients who received nutrition care throughout their entire course of treatment while the medical chart review studied 42 patients who did not receive nutrition care during their course of treatment. Results of the study will be reviewed.

CPEU: 1.0
CPE Level: 2
Learning Need Codes: 3005, 1130, 1070
Performance Indicators: 8.1.1, 8.3.6, 10.1.2

Learning Objectives

1. Discuss the history and data supporting the RDN in the outpatient oncology setting
2. Discuss the lack of data and need for a study to show the need for more RDNs in the outpatient setting
3. Study protocol including study design, methods, and results and the need for a larger study showing the need for more RDNs in the outpatient oncology setting

Speaker

Tricia A. Cox, RD, CNSC

Tricia Cox received her Bachelors of Science in Nutrition from the University of Texas at Austin and completed her Dietetic Internship and Masters in Human Sciences from Stephen F. Austin State University. From 2008 until present she has worked in clinical oncology, both inpatient and outpatient. When Mrs. Cox was Chair of the Oncology Dietetic Practice Group, the Academy and the DPG formed a research committee where she now serves as liaison between the two. Mrs. Cox has published works on nutrition for the Texas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Medical Nutrition Therapy Manual, Ovarian Cancer chapter for Oncology Nutrition in Clinical Practice, and developed an outpatient program for breast and gynecological cancers. She is currently working on making sure every cancer patient has access to a dietitian in an outpatient cancer setting.