From Clinic to Kitchen to Electronic Health Record: The Background and Process of Building a Culinary Medicine eConsult Service

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Abstract: Diet plays a pivotal role in health outcomes, influencing various metabolic pathways and accounting for over 20% of risk-attributable disability adjusted life years (DALYs). However, the limited time during primary care visits often hinders comprehensive guidance on dietary and lifestyle modifications. This paper explores the integration of electronic consultations (eConsults) in Culinary Medicine (CM) as a solution to bridge this gap. CM specialists, with expertise in the intricate connections between food, metabolism, and health outcomes, offer tailored dietary recommendations through asynchronous communication within the electronic health record (EHR) system. The use of CM eConsults enhances physician-patient communication and fosters continuous medical education for requesting clinicians. The benefits extend directly to patients, providing access to evidence-based nutritional information to address comorbidities and improve overall health through patient empowerment. We present a comprehensive guide for CM specialist physicians to incorporate CM eConsults into their practices, covering the historical context of eConsults, their adaptation for CM, billing methods, and insights from the implementation at UT Southwestern Medical Center. This initiative delivers expanded access to patient education on dietary risks and promotes interprofessional collaboration to empower improved health. Plain Language Summary: What you eat significantly impacts your health, affecting various aspects including weight, blood sugar, and inflammation. This paper highlights how health-related issues are linked to diet and presents one solution to help doctors guide patients more effectively. Often, the limited time during medical visits makes it challenging for doctors to provide detailed advice on lifestyle changes. Additional common barriers are that many doctors lack nutrition expertise, and access to nutrition experts such as registered dietitian nutritionists can be limited geographically and financially. This paper introduces the concept of electronic consultations (eConsults) in Culinary Medicine (CM) to help overcome this challenge. CM specialists are licensed healthcare professionals who understand how food influences the body and can use eConsults to offer personalized dietary recommendations. EConsults occur via a secure electronic medical record system that connects doctors and specialists, ensuring efficient communication. Patients benefit by gaining access to reliable nutritional information tailored to their specific health needs. This innovative approach also enhances communication between doctors and patients and helps doctors stay updated on the new research about how nutrition and food impact health. The paper provides a practical guide for doctors to integrate CM eConsults into their practices, making it easier to give valuable advice on dietary risks and promote healthier lifestyles. Overall, this initiative represents a significant step in improving patient nutrition education and fostering positive changes in health through the power of informed dietary choices. Keywords: nutrition, dietary, communication, electronic medical record

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