In the pursuit of evidence-based, exceptional patient care, Prairie Lakes Healthcare System has been making some changes in our nutritional services department as well as in our dietitian and speech therapy practices that will positively impact our patients who have difficulty swallowing, called dysphagia. These changes will improve continuity of care, help our patients maintain oral nutrition and hydration, and reduce the risk of developing aspiration pneumonia from oral intake.
A major change is our switch from the National Dysphagia Diet (NDD) to the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) framework; pronounced “Itsy.” This is a global effort to standardize the preparation and labeling of various consistencies of liquids and solid foods.
Why Are We Making Changes?
- Ensure that our patients will receive the appropriate and safe diet.
- Standardize the preparation and labeling of various consistencies of liquids and solid foods.
- Improve continuity of care, help our patients maintain oral nutrition and hydration, and reduce the risk of developing aspiration pneumonia from oral intake.
- Improve the hospital’s outcomes with aspiration pneumonia, and also help to keep the patient’s recovery on track.
What Changes Are Taking Place?
- International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) framework will replace the National Dysphagia Diet (NDD).
- Globally the IDDSI Committee has concluded in a final dysphagia diet framework consisting of a continuum of 8 levels (0-7).
- Each level is identified by numbers, text labels, and color codes.
- IDDSI uses standardized descriptors and commonly available tools such as forks, spoons, and syringes to evaluate specific food and liquid consistencies.
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System continue to find new and innovative ways to best service our patients each and every day.