DIETETICS & CLINICAL NUTRITION SERVICES

Nutrition plays an important role in the speedy recovery of hospitalized patients. Timely and protocolized nutrition support has shown to improve clinical outcomes and reduce the length of hospital stay. Moreover, good nutrition and dietary interventions are the cornerstones of management in case of many lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension etc.

The Department of Dietetics at SIMS has well trained Clinical Nutritionists who take care of the complete nutrition needs of the patient. Nutrition screening and assessment is done in a protocolized manner for the inpatients to identify the level of malnutrition if any, and a care plan is implemented. The clinical nutritionists as SIMS interact with the consultants and suggest relevant nutrition interventions that may benefit the patients’ recovery, and thereby the clinical outcome. Appropriate dietetic guidance is given for malnourished/undernourished patients and nutrition supplements are suggested when oral intake is inadequate. Tube feeding and parenteral nutrition planning and monitoring is also done.

Periodical re-assessments and follow-ups are done till discharge. At discharge, a diet chart is prepared, explained to the patient and family and given for following the dietetic advice at home.

At the outpatient department, the dietitians counsel the referred patients for a variety of conditions such as diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, weight management, renal and gastrointestinal disorders and so on. The patients’ general food pattern is noted and an appropriate medical Nutrition Therapy plan is made. Follow-up at the OPD is done cases of uncontrolled diabetes, post-bariatric surgery diet regimes, renal diet modifications, etc.