Rule 111-8-40-.23 - Food and Dietary ServicesThe hospital shall have an organized food and dietary service that is directed and staffed by an adequate number of qualified personnel to meet the nutritional needs of hospital patients. All hospital food service areas and operations shall comply with current federal and state laws and rules concerning food service.
(a)Organization of Food and Dietary Services.1.Food Service Manager. The hospital shall have a manager of food and dietary services who has training and experience in management of a food service system in a health care setting and receives on-going training. The responsibilities of the manager shall include: (i) Overall coordination and integration of the therapeutic and administrative aspects of the service;(ii) Development and implementation of policies and procedures concerning the scope and conduct of dietary services, including food preparation and delivery systems;(iii) Orientation and training programs for dietary service personnel and other hospital personnel involved in food delivery on all applicable dietary services policies and procedures, including personal hygiene, safety, infection control requirements, and proper methods of waste disposal;(iv) The implementation of a system to ensure that prescribed diets are delivered to the correct inpatients;(v) Maintenance of a staff of sufficient numbers of administrative and technical personnel competent in their assigned duties to carry out the dietary service program;(vi) Procurement of food, paper, chemical, and other supplies sufficient to meet the anticipated food service needs of the hospital; and(vii) Implementation of procedures to rotate all food items to ensure use in a timely manner.2.Dietitian. Clinical supervision of the hospital's dietary service shall be provided by a dietitian on a full-time, part-time, or consultant basis, as determined by the needs of the hospital. If supervision by the dietitian is provided by a contractual arrangement or on a consultation basis, such services shall occur at least once per month for not less than eight hours. The dietitian shall be responsible for:(i) Evaluation of inpatients' nutritional status and needs. If the admission screening identifies that an inpatient may be nutritionally at risk, the follow-up evaluation by the dietitian must be performed within twenty-four (24) hours of determination of the need for evaluation of the patient;(ii) Review and approval of all menus, including menus for therapeutic or prescribed diets;(iii) Participation in the development, revision, and review of policies and procedures for dietary services;(iv) Guidance to the manager of dietary services and to the staff of the service on methods for maintaining nutritionally balanced meals that meet the needs of each patient and in maintaining sanitary dietary practices; and(v) Appropriate documentation in the inpatients' medical records of any evaluation of nutritional status or needs.(b)Physical Environment Requirements for Food Service Areas. The hospital shall provide adequate space, equipment, and supplies for efficient, safe, and sanitary receiving, storage, refrigeration, preparation, and service of food. The physical environments for food service activities must meet the requirements of state regulations for food service.(c)Delivery of Dietary Services. Dietary services shall be delivered in accordance with the nutritional needs of the hospital's patients.1. There shall be a mechanism in place for the evaluation of nutritional needs for inpatients identified during admission as needing further assessment. The mechanism shall require that such evaluations be completed promptly, with modifications to patients' diets, if any, recorded in the patients' medical records within twenty-four (24) hours of notification of the need for the evaluation.2. A current therapeutic diet manual, approved by the dietitian and medical staff, shall be readily available to all medical, nursing, and dietary service personnel.3. Therapeutic diets shall be prescribed by the member of the medical staff responsible for the care of the inpatient.4. A written order for the modified diet prescription as recorded in the inpatient's medical record shall be readily available to dietary service personnel throughout the duration of the order.5. When clinically indicated, the dietary staff shall provide education for inpatients regarding their diets and nutritional needs. This training shall be documented in the inpatients' medical records.6. Unless medically contraindicated, at least three (3) meals a day shall be provided for inpatients, with no more than fifteen (15) hours elapsing between dinner and breakfast.7. There shall be a system for providing means for inpatients outside the normal meal service hours, when necessary.8. A system for meal requisition shall be in place and shall require a notation regarding the inpatients' food allergies, if any.9. Snacks shall be available between meals and at night, as appropriate to each patient's needs and medical condition.10. The dietary service shall follow policies and procedures approved by the medical staff for the management of possible food and drug interactions.11. Pertinent observations and information related to special diets, the inpatients' food habits, and response to dietetic treatment or diet modifications shall be recorded in the inpatients' medical records.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 111-8-40-.23
O.C.G.A. § 31-7-2.1.
Original Rule entitled "Food and Dietary Services" adopted. F. Feb. 20, 2013; eff. Mar. 12, 2013.