As health professionals from different disciplines, we learn the basic concepts,

terminology, and procedures that are central to our areas of expertise. In doing so,

we become acculturated to thinking, interacting, networking, and learning with peers

from the same discipline. When we begin to interact as members of healthcare

teams, we bring our own jargon and mores. Often we assume that others may

understand us as fully and completely as our professional peers, but we fail to grasp

different meanings or focus that others may have on a given subject, case, or problem.

The term multidisciplinary is used to define teams in which different disciplines are

represented but tend to function in isolation of each other. Interdisciplinary means

that teams combine their unique talents and knowledge to create a working unit.

This book is written by an interdisciplinary team of authors and contributors

representing the fields of nutrition, pharmacy, dietetics, medicine, and technology.

Each chapter and appendix was viewed from the aspect of different disciplines: “Is

this something everyone knows, or is this something that one discipline is unlikely

to know or is likely to view differently?” “What type of information would be

helpful for all disciplines to have readily available?” The book attempts to bring

the detailed and discipline-specific knowledge to other disciplines. In providing

common concepts, communications among different disciplines can be improved

and, in turn, improve healthcare. The authors of each chapter have worked from a

perspective of generic drug names in every case. Example trade names have been

provided solely for the convenience of readers. In no case do the authors or the

editors intend any endorsement, or imply that the example trademark names possess

any advantage over equivalent generic products.