Section 211.6. Dietary services

(a) Menus shall be planned at least 2 weeks in advance. Records of menus of foods actually served shall be retained for 30 days. When changes in the menu are necessary, substitutions shall provide equal nutritive value.

(b) Sufficient food to meet the nutritional needs of residents shall be prepared as planned for each meal. There shall be at least 3 days’ supply of food available in storage in the facility at all times.

(c) Overall supervisory responsibility for the dietary services shall be assigned to a full-time qualified dietary services supervisor.

(d) If consultant dietary services are used, the consultant’s visits shall be at appropriate times and of sufficient duration and frequency to provide continuing liaison with medical and nursing staff, advice to the administrator, resident counseling, guidance to the supervisor and staff of the dietary services, approval of menus, and participation in development or revision of dietary policies and procedures and in planning and conducting inservice education and programs.

(e) A current therapeutic diet manual approved jointly by the dietitian and medical director shall be readily available to attending physicians and nursing and dietetic service personnel.

(f) Dietary personnel shall practice hygienic food handling techniques. An employe shall wear clean outer garments, maintain a high degree of personal cleanliness and conform to hygienic practices while on duty. Employes shall wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water before starting work, after visiting the toilet room and as often as necessary to remove soil and contamination.

The provisions of this § 211.6 adopted August 29, 1975, effective September 1, 1975, 5 Pa.B. 2233; amended April 23, 1982, effective April 24, 1982, 12 Pa.B. 1316; amended January 31, 1987, effective July 1, 1987, 17 Pa.B. 514; amended July 23, 1999, effective July 24, 1999, 29 Pa.B. 3999. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (240327) to (240329).

Notation

Authority

The provisions of this § 211.6 amended under section 803 of the Health Care Facilities Act (35 P. S. § 448.803); and section 2102(g) of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. § 532(g)).

Notes of Decisions

Although hygienic food handling and general dietary supervision are required by Health Care Facilities Act regulations, alleged wrong doing of skilled nursing facility that led to resident’s death by salmonella poisoning did not involve ‘‘furnishing of medical services’’ as contemplated by the Act’s definition of ‘‘professional liability’’ and therefore, was outside coverage by the Medical Professional Liability Catastrophe Loss Fund. Stenton Hall v. Medical Liability Loss Fund, 829 A.2d 377, 384 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2003); appeal denied 857 A.2d 681 (Pa. 2004).