As part of the interdisciplinary team that provides clinical and therapeutic treatment for our patients, registered dietitians help patients and families develop proper diets and menus.

New England Rehabilitation Hospital of Portland (NERHP) works in a joint partnership with Maine Medical Center (MMC). The clinical nutrition team consists of three registered dietitians and one registered dietetic technician contracted through MMC to see inpatients at NERHP.

Individualized Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) is available to all inpatients to meet their dietary needs. MNT is the development and provision of a nutritional treatment or therapy based on a detailed assessment of a person’s medical history, psychosocial history, physical examination and dietary history. It is used to help resist an illness or condition, or as a means to prevent or delay disease or complications from diseases.

At any given time a patient admitted to NERHP may have a need for the following services provided by the clinical nutrition staff:

• Low BMI
• Dysphagia
• Decreased appetite/intake
• Large wounds
• Malabsorption
• Diabetes management through diet
• Tube feeding or parenteral nutrition
• Dialysis
• Celiac disease
• Healing after surgery

A dietitian provides educational and counseling components specific to all therapeutic diets as part of the Medical Nutrition Therapy regiment.