Adequate nutrition for patients in hospitals is not a luxury, but a key part of treatment - it affects the effectiveness of therapy, reduces the length of hospitalization and reduces the risk of complications. The new regulation is expected to introduce uniform standards for hospital nutrition, which will ensure that patients have access to wholesome meals tailored to their condition and needs.
New rules for nutrition in hospitals
Published June 25, 2025 07:30
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Diet is part of therapy - and no less important than drugs or treatments.
With proper nutrition, the patient recovers faster, tolerates treatment better, experiences postoperative complications less often and spends less time in the hospital. Meanwhile, inappropriate diet - and especially malnutrition - can prolong treatment time, increase costs and worsen prognosis. A new regulation being prepared by the Ministry of Health is expected to change this, introducing consistent standards for hospital nutrition based on current medical knowledge.
Uniform system of hospital allowances
The regulation calls for mandatory provision of meals tailored to patients' health and needs. Key changes include:
- Unification of codes and nomenclature of hospital diets,
- detailed characteristics of the types of diets - separately for adults, pregnant women and children,
- Recommended and contraindicated products, nutritional and energy value of each diet,
- the obligation to arrange menus by a nutritionist, with a variety of dishes and appropriate proportions of nutrients.
In justified cases, e.g. for organizational reasons, it is allowed to replace the planned products with others - with similar nutritional and caloric values.
What will be on the menu?
The menu provided to the patient will include full information on:
- The type and composition of the meal,
- Energy value (caloric content),
- The content of protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, salt and sugars,
- the way food is prepared,
- allergens present.
What diet the patient should receive is decided by the doctor - based on an assessment of the patient's nutritional status and individual needs.
New organizational and educational standard
Under the draft regulation, hospitals will be required to:
- ongoing verification of the quality of nutrition,
- maintain a "nutrition for health" tab on its website,
- publishing there menus, food laboratory test results and educational materials on dietetics,
- Provide a form for patients to submit comments on meals.
Source: RCL
