The Nutrition and Food Service Department provides services to oncology patients at nutritional risk upon admission to Glen Cove Hospital. The services include a nutritional assessment with appropriate intervention and monitoring of nutrition status by a clinical dietitian. Strategies for helping maintain adequate intake after discharge are also discussed. The dietitian may arrange for the patient to receive an oral supplement or snack between meals if needed.

Outpatients from Don Monti may also be referred to nutrition for nutritional counseling by a clinical dietitian. Our patient menu has been instrumental in improving patient satisfaction. Every morning a menu for the week is distributed to all patients on their breakfast tray. There are pre-selected meals for each day, however if a patient has any food intolerances or enjoys a limited variety of food items, a list of alternates is printed on the back of the menu. Patients may call and leave a message in the diet office if they desire a substitution. There is also a hospitality cart that visits each room during mealtimes with additional beverages and snacks.

Each oncology inpatient is discussed bi-weekly during interdisciplinary team meetings, where adjustments may be made to a patient’s plan of care. A clinical dietitian is always available to instruct patients, family members or significant others on the guidelines for nutritional care and therapeutic diets.