What are rules for hospital nutrition in Vietnam?

What are rules for hospital nutrition in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 2 of the Circular 18/2020/TT-BYT stipulating rules for hospital nutrition in Vietnam as follows:

1. Hospitals must organize their nutrition operations in connection with their examination and treatment operations.

2. Patients visiting a hospital for outpatient examination and/or treatment shall be screened for nutritional risk factors; and those visiting for inpatient examination and/or treatment shall have their nutritional status screened and assessed.

3. Patients shall be given a diet suitable for their nutritional status and illness.

4. The doctor in charge of a patient and doctors of the nutrition department shall decide the patient’s diet.

5. Nutrition personnel must be professionally qualified for their assigned tasks.

What are regulations on nutritional risk factor screening and diet consultancy and indication for outpatients in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 3 of the Circular 18/2020/TT-BYT stipulating nutritional risk factor screening and diet consultancy and indication for outpatients in Vietnam as follows:

1. Screen outpatients for nutritional risk factors such as weight loss, loss of appetite, BMI and other risk factors.

2. For patients at nutritional risk or risk of undernutrition or nutrition-related diseases, give them dietary advice and indication suitable for their nutritional status and illness, which shall be recorded in the medical examination book or outpatient medical record.

What are regulations on nutritional status examination, diagnosis and assessment, indication for treatment and monitoring of nutritional status for inpatients in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 4 of the Circular 18/2020/TT-BYT stipulating nutritional status examination, diagnosis and assessment, indication for treatment and monitoring of nutritional status for inpatients in Vietnam as follows:

1. Screen patients for nutritional risk factors, examine, diagnose and indicate nutritional treatment within 36 hours starting from the time of admission, which shall be recorded in the medical record.

2. For patients at nutritional risk, assess their nutritional status, diagnose and indicate a diet suitable for their illness, and monitor and reassess their nutritional status throughout the treatment process.

3. For patients without nutritional risk, screen for risk factors every 7 days during which they are hospitalized, which shall be recorded in the medical record.

4. Indicate a daily diet suitable for the nutritional status and illness of each patient, and record the diet code into the treatment sheet according to regulations in Decision No. 2879/QD-BYT dated August 10, 2006 by the Ministry of Health on guidelines for hospital diets.

5. Doctors in charge of patients suffering from severe undernutrition and patients receiving level I care shall consult with doctors of the nutrition department or nutritionists to indicate and formulate a diet suitable for their patients’ nutritional status and illness.

6. Support, monitor and supervise patient’s diet compliance throughout the treatment process.

What are requirements for organizational structure for nutrition in hospitals in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 6 of the Circular 18/2020/TT-BYT stipulating requirements for organizational structure for nutrition in hospitals in Vietnam as follows:

1. Organization of nutrition operations:

Based on the organizational and operational regulations of each hospital, the nutrition department or nutrition unit, which is a part of the clinical block, shall be established in accordance with the following regulations:

a) Hospitals with at least 100 beds must establish a nutrition department. Every 100 beds must have at least 01 nutrition specialist.

b) Hospitals with less than 100 beds must have a nutrition unit or full-time nutritionist if unable to establish a nutrition department.

2. The nutrition department shall comprise:

a) A nutrition advisory unit

b) A nutrition therapy unit

c) A meal processing and provision unit

If there is no meal processing and provision unit, the hospital must sign a contract on meal processing in the hospital with an outside organization or individual, which shall be placed under the professional and food safety supervision of the nutrition department.

Best regards!