P617 - THE ROLE OF A DIETITIAN IS PIVOTAL IN MODERN COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTHCARE SETTINGS

P617

THE ROLE OF A DIETITIAN IS PIVOTAL IN MODERN COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTHCARE SETTINGS

N. Kobayashi^1,*, Y. Onishi²

¹Internal Medicine, Okayama Saidaiji Hospital, ²Internal Medicine, Okayama University Medical Hospital, Okayama, Japan

Rationale: In ESPEN 2024, we reported the usefulness of 24hr recall method by dietitians to assess daily sodium intake which is essential for the prevention of life style related diseases. Here we report the impact of dietitian participation in multidisciplinary teams in the treatment of CKD patients for the past 3 years.

Methods: Every 4 months, the community-based workshops on CKD were held under the invitation of neighboring medical practitioners. We also held a multidisciplinary team meeting every month. Dieticians performed a face-to-face nourishment instruction in the outpatient clinic every day. Authorized nephrologists conducted weekly education sessions for dieticians and nurses.

Results: Patient introduction from neighboring medical practitioners has increased by 10 % per year. The number of nourishment counseling for outpatients has increased by 8 % per year.  The number of hemodialysis patients and peritoneal dialysis patients has increased 4 % and 20 % per year, respectively.

Conclusion: Periodical multidisciplinary meetings proved to be highly effective. Dieticians not only offered useful guidance on managing patients’ nutrition, but also acted as a valuable mediator between doctors and patients.　In the context of community medicine in Japan, where medical sources are severely limited by a declining birthrate and aging population, the presence of a dietician becomes increasingly crucial.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared