PROGRAMHome Health | Skilled Home Care | Dietitcian
Dietitian
 |
Medical
Nutrition
Therapy
Eating Right to Regain Health and Promote Healing |
PHD Dietitian Joyce Sierk Bergen, RD, LD, teaching proper food proportions. |
Panhandle Health District's Home Health program includes a registered and licensed dietitian to provide doctor-ordered medical nutrition therapy to clients. The dietitian:
- Screens clients to assess nutrition needs and plan follow-up.
- Provides individualized nutrition instruction, meal planning assistance, monitoring, documentation, follow-up care and referrals. For example, the dietitian will explain how the food you eat affects blood glucose levels if you are a diabetic. Short and long term goals are set with the patient to achieve better blood glucose control. The dietitian may suggest follow-up with a certified diabetic educator after discharge from Home Health.
- Consults with and educates the Home Health staff about a patient's nutritional needs.
- Provides primarily phone consultations with clients.
Home Health clients typically are recovering from illness or surgery or living with a chronic disease, all of which can lead to weight loss from lack of appetite. PHD's dietitian teaches clients how to increase food intake to benefit their health and teaches the client's family and friends to assist.