The first and most noticeable revision to the standards was the change in title from Standards of Practice for the Profession of Dietetics to Standards of Professional Practice, which reflects the new emphasis on the individual professional, rather than the profession. In March 1997, a draft of the revised Standards of Professional Practice was presented to the House of Delegates for member input and review. The task force then tested the usefulness and relevance of the standards in focus groups of dietetic professionals who represented a variety of practice settings and levels of professional experience. Revisions were made accordingly. The final version of the Standards of Professional Practice was adopted by ADA's House of Delegates in October 1997.
Standards define desirable and achievable levels of performance.
Dietetics professionals develop and implement a variety of standards in business and practice. From the foodservice setting to pharmaceutical sales, standards are the performance expectations and desirable achievements enforced by the employer, the industry, or other regulatory bodies. Dietetics professionals practicing in clinical dietetics, for example, must meet standards mandated by accrediting organizations and government agencies, such as those the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations developed to monitor and ensure that quality health care is provided to all clients of accredited organizations. Clinical dietitians must also be familiar with the closely related term standards of care, which refers to tools that provide guidance in how patient care should be delivered for a specific diagnosis or intervention. Standards of care include quality improvement tools such as protocols, care maps, or practice guidelines.