Nutritional Services
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Nutrition intervention focuses on the prevention of malnutrition and wasting syndrome, a by-product of some diseases. These conditions increase an HIV-infected person’s susceptibility to opportunistic infections and decrease the effectiveness of or tolerance to medications and therapies. Nutritional services are available through physician referral or self referral. A patient may schedule an appointment for a nutritional screening and assessment with our receptionist and appointments are made directly in our office.
Nutritional Screening and Assessment
The Pride Medical healthcare team members initially screen patients for nutritional risk. If determined to be at nutritional risk, the patient undergoes a full nutritional assessment by a registered dietitian here at Pride Medical.
A patient may also request a referral to the dietitian.
All nutritional assessments include a review of:
- medical history and risk factors
- medication profile
- nutrition history
- biochemical evaluation
- notation of psycho-social and economic conditions
- development of a care plan.
The dietitian designs a realistic and individualized nutrional care plan keeping in mind those goals set forth by the health care team and the patient.
Nutrition Counseling
Initial as well as follow-up counseling sessions (the patient and/or care giver, family member, or significant other) cover a variety of nutrition issues. Meeting with the dietician addresses:
- principles of healthy eating
- food plans for healthful eating
- food-safety issues
- management of nutrition-related symptoms
- potential drug-nutrient interactions
- alternative feeding methods
- guidelines for evaluating nutrition information and products
- guidelines for a realistic exercise program.
Nutrition Support Alternatives
For patients who become nutritionally compromised (significant weight loss or loss of lean body mass) or unable to ingest enough, the oral route for nutrition may be inadequate. A tube feeding (using special liquid formulas) may supplement or serve as an alternative to the oral route, if no severe malabsorption problem exists. If severe malabsorption is evident or other factors preclude tube feeding, then intravenous nutrition therapy may be warranted. The patient, dietitian, and health care team all participate when decisions regarding alternative nutrition therapy are necessary.