WHAT DOES A DIETITIAN DO?

Published: Jun 3, 2025 - The Dietitian collaborates with healthcare teams to deliver comprehensive physical and psychological support for bariatric patients and their families. This role involves conducting pre- and post-operative nutrition counseling, managing patient education materials, and ensuring proper billing and documentation in compliance with insurance requirements. The dietitian also monitors patient progress through lab result reviews, participates in support groups and daily rounds, and upholds standards aligned with MBSAQIP guidelines.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Dietitian

1. Dietitian Essential Functions

  • Screening: Screening all patient charts before their appointment
  • Assessment: Reviewing and assessing relevant laboratory data
  • History Taking: Conducting a thorough history of food/diet concerns
  • Analysis: Analyzing and comparing food intake with nutritional requirements
  • Nutrition Knowledge: Applying knowledge of nutrition requirements throughout the life cycle
  • Communication: Translating scientific, medical, and nutrition information into practical, individualized nutrition goals for clients
  • Interaction Evaluation: Determining potential nutrient, supplement, and drug interactions
  • Collaboration: Collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to provide optimal care to clients

2. Dietitian Role Purpose

  • Nutritional Evaluation: Assists in evaluating patients’ nutritional needs and plans for home dietary management.
  • Documentation: Charts and completes nutritional consult forms and participates in the evaluation of nutritional programs.
  • Follow-up: Follows up on patient progress regularly.
  • Counseling: Counsels patients and families regarding diet and nutritional needs.
  • Education: Provides education to patients, families, and other healthcare professionals concerning nutrition therapy.
  • Consultation: Consults with staff on specific nutrition problems and issues.
  • Program Planning: Plans and administers nutrition programs.
  • Literature Review: Reviews and evaluates nutritional literature and material for staff use.
  • Training: Participates in the orientation and ongoing training and in-service of staff on nutrition issues, research, programs, and community resources.
  • Information Provision: Provides information regarding dietary activity.
  • Clinical Documentation: Accurately and completely documents all clinical activity on patient charts following company policy and procedure.
  • Care Planning: Participates in the development, implementation, and revision of patient care plans in conjunction with other clinical staff for all patients receiving nutritional support.

3. Dietitian General Responsibilities

  • Nutrition Education: Provides nutrition education to patients/clients and communicates with the patient and healthcare team as outlined in department policy.
  • Physician Communication: Discusses recommendations with a physician.
  • Care Planning Discussion: Discusses feeding options and other nutrition care plans with the patient/designated caregiver.
  • Diet Provision: Provides an age-appropriate diet.
  • Medical Nutrition Therapy: Provides MNT to patients/clients and reviews medical records for relevant information.
  • Risk Identification: Identifies nutrition risks and problems.
  • Care Plan Development: Develops and implements an individualized nutrition care plan.
  • Workload Management: Prioritizes workload and/or develops an outpatient schedule.
  • Risk Review: Reviews nutrition risk reports to identify patients at high risk.
  • Assessment Completion: Completes a total of 12-15 assessments per day.
  • Diet Recommendation: Recommends appropriate diet prescription to meet patient/client nutrition needs.
  • Order Modification: Changes/modifies diet order for solid food and existing tube feeding orders when the previous order does not meet the patient/client's nutrition needs.
  • Justification: Provides appropriate rationale for order change/modification.
  • Compliance: Adheres to HMH Organizational competencies and standards of behavior.

4. Dietitian Key Accountabilities

  • Nutritional Assessment: Accurately assess patients’ nutritional status by conducting nutrition-focused physical assessment, reviewing medical diagnosis, weight and diet history, pertinent lab values, and medications, and obtaining information from the patient and/or family.
  • Care Plan Implementation: Implement a care plan utilizing the appropriate standards of care, diagnostic care plan, and consideration of the patient’s wishes.
  • Documentation: Document outcome-based medical nutrition therapy education and therapy plans, and communicate nutrition care plans with other members of the health care team, as well as the patient and family.
  • Evidence-Based Practice: Use evidence-based practices when making diet recommendations and recommendations for parenteral/enteral nutrition.
  • Education Evaluation: Evaluate patients’ education needs and readiness to learn.
  • Learning Assessment: Identify learning needs, barriers to learning, preferred learning style, and education level.
  • Patient Education: Provide education to patients and family members based on identified needs.

5. Dietitian Roles and Details

  • Collaboration: Collaborate with physicians and multidisciplinary professional staff to help provide physical and psychological support for bariatric patients, friends, and families
  • Patient Education: Educate patients, families, and their support system before surgery through individual and group counseling sessions on bariatric lifestyle changes necessary for success after surgery, using effective counseling skills
  • Scheduling: Assist with scheduling of appointments
  • Content Development: Create/update nutrition booklets
  • Documentation: Provide nutritional summary to Insurance Coordinator and Medical Records
  • Insurance Knowledge: Understand insurance criteria and billing for nutrition visits
  • Billing: Appropriately bill for nutrition counseling sessions according to insurance coverage and criteria
  • Lab Review: Review all blood work and call patients to provide vitamin/mineral recommendations, and notify patients’ doctors of results
  • Patient Rounding: Participate in daily patient rounds with a Registered Nurse from the bariatric center
  • Post-Operative Counseling: Attend weekly office hours to provide post-operative nutrition counseling
  • Support Group Facilitation: Facilitate monthly support groups
  • Resource Provision: Provide up-to-date professional educational materials for patients
  • Care Monitoring: Provide monitoring and continuity of care for patients between physician visits
  • Standards Compliance: Develop and interpret the hospital and nutrition division’s philosophies and standards of care compliance with the standards set forth by the MBSAQIP