Dietitian: The mastermind behind healing, rehabilitation, and patient care through food

This issue of MedPark Stories invites our readers to get to know another fascinating profession in the hospital: the registered dietitian. Registered dietitians are one of the professions that play a significant role in supporting the treatment and rehabilitation of patients in hospitals. Ms. Pikky-Suchaya Satidpitakul, a registered dietitian, will share stories that many people may not be aware of regarding the work of dietitians in hospitals.

At first, it wasn't clear what a dietitian does in a hospital setting.

Ms. Pikky shared that she followed the science curriculum track in high school, which led her to pursue an applied science field at the college level instead of pure science. She gravitated towards the field of health sciences, particularly nutrition, as food is something everyone consumes daily. Therefore, she believed that food science would be a valuable and practical area of expertise.

“At that time, I had no idea that a dietitian works in a hospital. I thought I would probably work for a food company or in a hotel. But in my second or third year of study, we had options between a major in Food and Nutrition and Dietetics or a major in Hotel food and beverage Management.”

“I believed that studying dietetics would benefit me and those around me, especially with the upcoming health trend. The knowledge I was about to gain appeared to be very promising.”

Through her studies, Ms. Pikky discovered that the field of dietetics offered career opportunities in hospitals. Additionally, she gained hands-on experience assisting her professor in a hospital and had the chance to gather research data on cancer patients. This experience reinforced her understanding of the significance of nutrition for cancer patients.

“If cancer patients receive proper nutrition and consume a healthy diet, it can enhance their tolerance of chemotherapy and facilitate their recovery from cancer treatment,” she explained.

After discovering her passion, Ms. Pikky further pursued a master's degree in food and nutrition for development at Mahidol University. During this time, she gained valuable internship experience in a hospital setting, where her responsibility was managing the nutrition of patients with chronic diseases such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. By tailoring dietary plans to each patient's specific needs, she witnessed firsthand the positive impact on their quality of life.

An obese person becomes tired from walking even a short distance and experiences knee pain. If we help them to lose weight, and lessen their fatigue and knee pain, this will allow them to engage in more activities and improve their overall quality of life. This beneficial result is what drives me to continue pursuing this career.

“In a hospital, each patient has unique health conditions, requiring personalized care and dietary plans.”

What is the difference between a nutritionist and a dietitian?

Suchaya explains that a dietitian is responsible for evaluating each patient's nutritional status to formulate suitable, disease-specific meal plans for patients. In addition, a dietitian works with a multidisciplinary team and must be a certified professional with a license. A nutritionist creates meal plans for hospitalized patients and provides general nutritional counseling. 

Because of this, a dietitian is like a tailor.

“Indeed, patients are akin to customers shopping for clothes. We won't give them ready-to-wear one-size-fits-all products; we take measurements and give them made-to-measure clothes tailored for everyone. The same goes for dietetics. We must develop proper and specific diet plans for patients beneficial to their health and facilitate their recovery.”

Altering eating habits is a tall order. Find a mutually agreed-upon solution if abstinence is not feasible.  

When asked about challenges at work, her answer is dealing with people. 

“Each one of us has different eating habits. Some people put up a barrier when knowing they will meet with a dietitian. They think all the food they like to indulge in would be off-limit, which is a misunderstanding.”
 
“A dietitian must find a solution for each patient. They should be able to enjoy eating while staying within the confine that is not detrimental to their health and affects their treatments. It is impossible to change a patient's eating habits radically. However, we must find a sweet spot of healthy eating habits agreeable to them concurrently.”

As for dealing with an uncompromising patient, Suchaya resorts to the art of dialectic discourse because Dietetics and Nutrition are scientific and artistic. In addition to being able to provide dietary advice, a dietitian should know how to conduct respectful communication and be persuasive so that patients do not put up resistance.

“There was a scrawny cancer patient who weighed only 30 kg due to dysphagia. Doctors, dietitians, and occupational therapists specializing in swallowing training worked as a team to help the patient.”

“We modified the food texture to facilitate swallowing and still taste good, and with the swallowing training and tube feeding, the patient took in more food. The patient recovered better as treatment became more effective. The patient's weight bounced back to 60 kg, showcasing a holistic care success.”

A key success factor in helping patients take in more food and be happier is encouraging them to eat through their mouths. This way, they can sense the tastes and textures of the food, promoting appetite. We modify the food into a smoothie or ice cream, which is easy to swallow.

“This is a result of food modification benefits patient health and treatment efficacy.”

Knowledge and skills that help to care for family members.

Besides providing dietary care to patients, Suchaya applies her knowledge to care for her family members by recommending dietary plans and taking care of her mother, suffering from a stroke. 

“My mom just had a stroke. We look after her, and her condition is improving. Initially, I look after her overall health, curate healthy diets, and promote weight loss by recommending specific foods and portion control.”

“When grocery shopping, I choose what fruits, vegetables, or meats to buy. It's like I specify the dietary choices of my family. Cooking with quality ingredients ensures nutritious meals for your family.”

And this is the miracle of food. It can change lives for the better and heal diseases. Knowledge of food and nutrition science is beneficial to both patient care and looking after my family members.

Ms. Pikky-Suchaya Satidpitakul
A Registered Dietitian
MedPark Hospital