Dietary services

1. The general acute hospital shall provide dietary service to meet the needs of the patients served and shall ensure the following: a. The hospital shall designate an employee to be responsible for the total food service of the facility. If this employee is not a licensed registered dietitian, the employee must have at least completed a food service course approved by the academy of nutrition and dietetics or its predecessor or successor organization and receive at least monthly consultation from a licensed registered dietitian consultant. b. There must be current written policies and procedures for the dietary department. c. The number of employees must be adequate to effectively perform all functions necessary to meet the dietary needs of the patients. d. An individual must be designated to be in charge of the dietary service when the department head is not present. e. Dietary personnel must practice recognized hygienic techniques in accordance with the food service sanitation manual issued by the department, food and lodging unit. f. The dietitian must have available a diet manual of regimens for all therapeutic diets, approved jointly by the dietitian and medical staff. Copies must be available in the dietary service area. g. At least three meals or their equivalent must be served daily, at regular times, with not more than a fourteen-hour span between a substantial evening meal and breakfast. h. Regular and therapeutic diets must be prescribed in writing by the licensed health care practitioner. Regular and therapeutic menus must be planned in writing and served as ordered, with supervision or consultation from the dietitian. i. Facilities must be provided for the general dietary needs of the hospital patients and staff, and for maintenance of sanitary conditions in the storage, preparation, service, and distribution of food. (1) Appropriate lighting and ventilation must be maintained. (2) Facilities for storage of personal effects outside of food preparation area must be provided for food service personnel. (3) Lavatories, specifically for handwashing, with hot and cold running water, soap dispenser, and disposable towels, must be conveniently located. (4) Dry or staple food items must be stored off the floor in a ventilated room that is free of sewage or wastewater backflow or contamination by condensation, leakage, rodents, or vermin, and separate from cleaning supplies. (5) Effective procedures for cleaning all equipment and work areas must be developed and consistently followed. (6) Dishwashing procedures and techniques must be carried out in compliance with state and local health codes. (7) Waste that is not disposed of by mechanical means must be kept in leakproof nonabsorbent containers with closefitting covers and must be disposed of daily in a manner that will prevent transmission of disease, a nuisance, a breeding place for flies, or a feeding place for rodents. Containers must be thoroughly cleaned inside and outside each time they are emptied. 2. Primary care hospitals are subject to the dietary services requirements for general acute hospitals in this section. 3. Specialized hospitals are subject to the dietary services requirements for general acute hospitals in this section.