According to this Circular, in compliance with Regulations on organization and operation of hospitals, the establishment of departments of nutrition or divisions of nutrition belonging to clinical sections of hospitals will be subject to the following regulations:
- Hospitals with at least 100 medical beds must run their own departments of nutrition, including at least 01 nutritional professional per 100 medical beds.
A department of nutrition must comprise the following divisions:
+ Nutrition counseling.
+ Therapeutic nutrition.
+ Food processing and nutrition services (if this division does not exist, hospitals must sign contracts with external organizations or individuals to prepare meals inside hospitals).
When preparing meals, they are put under the culinary and food safety supervision of departments of nutrition.
- If any hospital with fewer than 100 medical beds does not run their own department of nutrition, they must have divisions of nutrition or hire full-time nutritional professionals.
Circular No. 18/2020/TT-BYT is entering into force on January 1, 2021.
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