Mentor tool
The MENTOR tool
Neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) is defined by symptoms of constipation and faecal incontinence that affect up to 80% of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), multiple sclerosis (MS), spina bifida (SB) and cauda equina syndrome. The NBD score is a validated tool1 in SCI to evaluate bowel function and correlates with quality of life but is not designed for clinical decision-making.
A clinical decision support tool, MENTOR (Monitoring Efficacy of Neurogenic bowel Treatment On Response), was developed and validated by a team of international academic and clinical experts. The tool is based on a questionnaire with three dimensions: objective bowel score measures (the NBD Score), patients’ subjective perception of their bowel function and special attention symptoms, allowing for a holistic assessment of SCI patients.
How to use the MENTOR tool in 3 simple steps
The MENTOR tool consists of the MENTOR Questionnaire and the MENTOR Wheel or matrix.
1. Fill in the MENTOR Questionnaire by talking to your patients using the 12 questions and charting down the answers.
2. Plot the results of sections 1, 2, and 3 of the MENTOR Questionnaire against the matching steps in the Wheel. As outcome, you will receive a colour code – a MENTOR recommendation.
3. Using the 3-colour code to guide your assessment of a specific patient on whether a review of current treatment may be needed or not.
More detailed instructions are included in the MENTOR Guide for Healthcare Professionals.
MENTOR tool
The tool was first created through a modified Delphi process and then validated in patients with SCI through a prospective, observational study. Afterwards the tool was tested against blinded clinical opinion of international experts in gastroenterology and rehabilitation clinics in UK, Denmark, USA, Italy, The Netherlands and Germany.
The results of the international validation with a total of 241 participants, showed an overall concordance rate of 79% between the expert clinician’s and the MENTOR tool. Furthermore, the median completion time for the tool was 5 minutes with 97 % of the participants rating it “easy to complete”2.
The MENTOR tool is not intended as a substitute but a supplement to assessment by a clinician, who should always make the final decision based on their professional evaluation.
This site contains open access versions of the MENTOR tool in the following languages: Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian and Spanish and the scientific article describing the creation of the tool “Creation and validation of a new tool for the monitoring efficacy of neurogenic bowel dysfunction treatment on response: the MENTOR tool”.
The creation and validation of the MENTOR tool was supported by Coloplast A/S.
Download Creation and validation of a new tool for the monitoring efficacy of neurogenic bowel dysfunction treatment on response: the MENTOR tool.
MENTOR tool questionnaire in 7 languages and the decision matrix
Here you will find the translated questionnaire of the MENTOR tool along with the English version of the decision matrix. If you want to use the MENTOR wheel instead of the matrix, please reach out to your local Coloplast representative who can provide you with a printed version.
Reference list
- Krogh, K., Christensen, P., Sabroe, S. & Laurberg, S. Neurogenic bowel dysfunction score. Spinal Cord 44, 625–631 (2006).
- Emmanuel, A. et al. Creation and validation of a new tool for the monitoring efficacy of neurogenic bowel dysfunction treatment on response : the MENTOR tool. Spinal Cord (2020). doi:10.1038/s41393-020-0424-8.