Is it right for doctors to provide pre-op nutrition counseling?

[Guest guest]

What is everyone's opinion on the appropriateness of physicians providing the

pre-op nutrition counseling to patients who are required to participate in a

pre-op diet program?

I recently found out that some of our patients are going to be sent to an

endocrinoligist for their pre-op nutrition counseling sessions instead of a

dietitian and this just seems inappropriate to me. I thought that registered

dietitians were the only professionals qualified to provide nutrition counseling

and I know that many medical school programs don't even require a basic

nutrition class. No one else in our multidisciplinary team seems to think this

is an issue.

Has anyone else come across this? I would love to hear other's opinions. I'm

thinking of discussing this with our program coordinator.

TIA,

Chase, RD, LD