Abstract
Background: The dietary management of chronic diarrhoea is varied and depends on the underlying causes. However, in many cases, the specific cause of diarrhoea remains unknown, even after extensive testing has been undertaken. To support dietitians in the assessment and management of chronic diarrhoea, a pathway on Allied Healthways was developed. Allied Healthways is an online resource specifically for allied health professionals working in both public and private primary and tertiary centres. It follows the success of HealthPathways, an on-line manual of locally developed evidence-based practice guidelines for general practice teams to provide consistent advice specific within their region. HealthPathways was initially developed for use in Canterbury, New Zealand but is now available across New Zealand, Australia, England and Wales. Allied Healthways is currently only based in Canterbury, New Zealand, but 89% of users were in favour of the site becoming nationally available.
Aim: To develop a chronic diarrhoea pathway designed specifically for dietitians working with adults experiencing diarrhoea
Summary: A comprehensive literature review was conducted which informed the content of the pathway. A template for the pathway was provided, templates arc used for each pathway on Health Pathways and Allied Healthways to ensure uniformity. The template follows a prescribed format; background, assessment, management and request. Once the final draft was completed, it was sent to the technical writers for review and then uploaded onto the draft Allied Healthways site for further review by subject matter experts and the chief clinical editor.
Discussion: The pathway developed specifically for dietitians working with adults with chronic diarrhoea was published on Allied Healthways in 2021. It is currently undergoing review for an upcoming update. It has undergone an extensive peer review process. The pathway provides assessment and management information for dietitians in the Canterbury region but can be accessed by dietitians throughout New Zealand.