Alaska Administrative Code
Title 7 - Health and Social Services
Part 1 - Administration
Chapter 12 - Facilities and Local Units
Article 12 - General Provisions
7 AAC 12.720 - Dietetic service

Universal Citation: 7 AK Admin Code 12.720

Current through November 28, 2024

(a) A facility that provides dietetic services, with the exception of frontier extended stay clinics, must comply with the provisions of this section.

(b) Except as provided in (p) and (q) of this section, a facility must employ

(1) a full-time dietitian who is registered by the American Dietetic Association; or

(2) a full-time dietetic service supervisor to supervise the dietetic service and a registered dietitian on a consulting basis.

(c) A registered dietitian must be available not less than once every three months to provide advice to the administrator and medical staff, and guidance to the supervisor and staff of the dietetic service, and shall participate in the development or revision of dietetic policies and procedures.

(d) The dietetic service must provide food of the quality and quantity to meet the patient's needs in accordance with physician's orders and, to the extent medically possible, to meet the National Research Council's Recommended Dietary Allowances,10th edition (1989), adopted by reference. If food is provided by an outside food service establishment, the facility shall ensure that the requirements of this subsection are met.

(e) A facility that provides dietetic services must comply with 18 AAC 31. The facility shall retain written reports of the inspections performed under 18 AAC 31.900 on file, with notation of corrective actions in response to citations, if any.

(f) A facility must maintain adequate space, equipment, and staple food supplies to provide food service to patients in emergencies.

(g) If a facility provides dietetic services, it must maintain a current profile card for each patient indicating prescribed diet, likes and dislikes, and other pertinent information concerning the patient's dietary needs.

(h) The facility must maintain lavatories for handwashing, with hot and cold running water, soap, and disposable towels, conveniently located in the service area used by persons who handle food.

(i) A current manual for therapeutic diets, approved by the dietitian, must be available in the dietetic service area.

(j) A copy of the menus, with menu substitutions, must be retained for at least 60 days.

(k) Records of food purchased, showing dates of purchases, quantity, and itemized cost, must be retained on file for at least one year.

(l) Standardized recipes must be maintained and used exclusively in food preparation.

(m) Current work schedules by job titles and weekly duty schedules for dietetic service personnel must be posted in the dietetic service area and retained for at least three months.

(n) Routine cleaning schedules must be posted and records of cleaning must be maintained on file for at least three months.

(o) In this section, a "dietetic service supervisor" means a person who

(1) is a graduate of a dietetic technician or dietetic manager training program, corresponding or classroom, approved by the American Dietetic Association;

(2) is a graduate of a course approved by the department that provided 90 or more hours of classroom instruction in food service supervision, and who has a minimum of two years of experience as a supervisor in a health care institution with consultation from a dietitian;

(3) has training and experience in food service supervision and management in a military service equivalent in content to the programs in (1) or (2) of this subsection;

(4) has completed all nutrition and related coursework necessary to take the registration examination required to become a registered dietitian by the American Dietetic Association;

(5) is certified by the Certifying Board for Dietary Managers of the Dietary Managers Association;

(6) has completed a dietary manager course curriculum approved by the American Dietary Manager Association, is registered by the American Dietetic Association, and is qualified to take the examination required to become certified by the certifying board for dietary managers of the Dietary Managers Association; or

(7) has at least three years of experience in institutional dietary management, 200 or more documented contact hours with a dietitian registered by the American Dietetic Association, and 30 or more continuing education credits that
(A) have been approved by the American Dietetic Association or Dietary Managers Association; and

(B) directly relate to food service management and clinical nutrition.

(p) A rural primary care hospital or a critical access hospital must have a dietitian registered by the American Dietetic Association or a dietetic service supervisor to supervise and monitor the dietary services to ensure the facility meets patients' nutritional needs and the requirements of this section. The services of a registered dietitian or a dietetic services supervisor may be provided on a part-time, offsite basis.

(q) A nursing home that is licensed separately under this chapter, but that is part of a licensed critical access hospital under 7 AAC 12.104, must employ a qualified dietitian either full time, part time, or on a consultant basis to plan, manage, and implement dietary service activities to assure that the residents receive adequate nutrition and that the dietary department of the nursing home is functioning properly. If a qualified dietitian is not employed full time, the facility is subject to the following requirements:

(1) the facility must designate a person to serve as the
(A) dietetic service supervisor; or

(B) manager of food service; a manager of food service is exempt from the requirements of (o) of this section;

(2) the facility shall ensure that the dietitian
(A) makes frequently scheduled onsite consultation visits to the facility;

(B) functions collaboratively with the dietetic service supervisor or manager of food service in meeting the nutritional needs of the residents;

(C) provides supervision for dietary department functions;

(D) develops and implements continuing education programs for dietary services and nursing personnel; and

(E) participates in interdisciplinary care planning.

A copy of Recommended Dietary Allowances, adopted by reference in 7 AAC 12.720(d), may be obtained from the National Academies Press at 500 Fifth Street N.W., Lockbox 285, Washington, D.C., 20055; telephone: (888) 624-8373.

Information on currently registered dietitians; coursework, qualified training programs, and examination requirements to become a registered dietitian; or approved continuing education courses may be obtained from the American Dietetic Association, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995; telephone: (800) 877-1600.

Information on currently certified dietary managers, approved course curriculum, or continuing education courses for certified dietary managers may be obtained from the Dietary Managers Association, 406 Surrey Woods Drive, St. Charles, IL 60174; telephone: (800) 323-1908.

Authority:AS 47.32.010

AS 47.32.030

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Alaska may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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