Exploring the barriers to diagnosing malnutrition in patients with cancer: A study on oncologists' perspectives

Summary: Background and aim: Patients with cancer are at high risk of malnutrition, yet relevant ICD-10 codes for malnutrition are underutilized in cancer clinics. Understanding oncologists' perspectives is crucial for optimizing malnutrition diagnosis codes and enhancing nutritional practices...

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Main Authors: Lisa Heide Koteng, Kari Sand, Ingvild Paur, Asta Bye, Bente Ervik, Tora S. Solheim, Inger Ottestad, Trude R. Balstad
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Clinical Nutrition Open Science
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667268524000962
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author Lisa Heide Koteng
Kari Sand
Ingvild Paur
Asta Bye
Bente Ervik
Tora S. Solheim
Inger Ottestad
Trude R. Balstad
author_facet Lisa Heide Koteng
Kari Sand
Ingvild Paur
Asta Bye
Bente Ervik
Tora S. Solheim
Inger Ottestad
Trude R. Balstad
author_sort Lisa Heide Koteng
collection DOAJ
description Summary: Background and aim: Patients with cancer are at high risk of malnutrition, yet relevant ICD-10 codes for malnutrition are underutilized in cancer clinics. Understanding oncologists' perspectives is crucial for optimizing malnutrition diagnosis codes and enhancing nutritional practices to improve patient care. This study aims to explore oncologists' perspectives on the use and feasibility of the ICD-10 codes for malnutrition. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted, consisting of four focus group interviews with oncologists (n=14) from three Norwegian hospitals. A semi-structured interview guide, covering five main topics, guided the discussions. Results: Few oncologists were familiar with the malnutrition diagnosis codes. The codes were considered inapplicable in clinical practice, partly due to complex diagnostic criteria. None used the codes systematically, instead relying on inquiries about patients' weight, weight loss, food intake, and appetite. Oncologists prioritized identifying patients in need of nutritional treatment, considering diagnosis codes unnecessary for providing quality care. Proposals for increased code utilization included economic incentives, enhanced collaboration with clinical dietitians, and digital systems for automated coding. Conclusion: The oncologists expressed that they prevent and treat malnutrition in patients with cancer, but not systematically. They do not utilize ICD-10 codes for malnutrition, citing both complex diagnostic criteria and the codes’ lack of relevance to nutritional treatment as limiting factors.
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spelling doaj-art-9fbe746d9fc8413cb0ac0d0e75de877d2025-08-20T02:50:09ZengElsevierClinical Nutrition Open Science2667-26852024-12-015828930110.1016/j.nutos.2024.10.001Exploring the barriers to diagnosing malnutrition in patients with cancer: A study on oncologists' perspectivesLisa Heide Koteng0Kari Sand1Ingvild Paur2Asta Bye3Bente Ervik4Tora S. Solheim5Inger Ottestad6Trude R. Balstad7European Palliative Care Research Centre (PRC), Department of Oncology, Oslo University Hospital, and Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Corresponding author.SINTEF Digital, Department of Health Research, Trondheim, NorwayNorwegian Advisory Unit on Disease-Related Undernutrition, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine, Clinical Nutrition Research Group, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, NorwayEuropean Palliative Care Research Centre (PRC), Department of Oncology, Oslo University Hospital, and Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Nursing and Health Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Oncology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, NorwayDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim, Norway; Cancer Clinic, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, NorwayDepartment of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Section of Clinical Nutrition, Department of Clinical Service, Division of Cancer Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology Trondheim, Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine, Clinical Nutrition Research Group, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, NorwaySummary: Background and aim: Patients with cancer are at high risk of malnutrition, yet relevant ICD-10 codes for malnutrition are underutilized in cancer clinics. Understanding oncologists' perspectives is crucial for optimizing malnutrition diagnosis codes and enhancing nutritional practices to improve patient care. This study aims to explore oncologists' perspectives on the use and feasibility of the ICD-10 codes for malnutrition. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted, consisting of four focus group interviews with oncologists (n=14) from three Norwegian hospitals. A semi-structured interview guide, covering five main topics, guided the discussions. Results: Few oncologists were familiar with the malnutrition diagnosis codes. The codes were considered inapplicable in clinical practice, partly due to complex diagnostic criteria. None used the codes systematically, instead relying on inquiries about patients' weight, weight loss, food intake, and appetite. Oncologists prioritized identifying patients in need of nutritional treatment, considering diagnosis codes unnecessary for providing quality care. Proposals for increased code utilization included economic incentives, enhanced collaboration with clinical dietitians, and digital systems for automated coding. Conclusion: The oncologists expressed that they prevent and treat malnutrition in patients with cancer, but not systematically. They do not utilize ICD-10 codes for malnutrition, citing both complex diagnostic criteria and the codes’ lack of relevance to nutritional treatment as limiting factors.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667268524000962OncologistsMalnutritionDiagnosisICD-10 codesGLIM criteria
spellingShingle Lisa Heide Koteng
Kari Sand
Ingvild Paur
Asta Bye
Bente Ervik
Tora S. Solheim
Inger Ottestad
Trude R. Balstad
Exploring the barriers to diagnosing malnutrition in patients with cancer: A study on oncologists' perspectives
Clinical Nutrition Open Science
Oncologists
Malnutrition
Diagnosis
ICD-10 codes
GLIM criteria
title Exploring the barriers to diagnosing malnutrition in patients with cancer: A study on oncologists' perspectives
title_full Exploring the barriers to diagnosing malnutrition in patients with cancer: A study on oncologists' perspectives
title_fullStr Exploring the barriers to diagnosing malnutrition in patients with cancer: A study on oncologists' perspectives
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the barriers to diagnosing malnutrition in patients with cancer: A study on oncologists' perspectives
title_short Exploring the barriers to diagnosing malnutrition in patients with cancer: A study on oncologists' perspectives
title_sort exploring the barriers to diagnosing malnutrition in patients with cancer a study on oncologists perspectives
topic Oncologists
Malnutrition
Diagnosis
ICD-10 codes
GLIM criteria
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667268524000962
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