Dietitians and the Multidisciplinary MS Care Tea m: Mona Bostick, RDN, LDN, MSCS

WATCH TIME: 3 minutes

“The role that a dietitian can play in patient care, working with a vulnerable population, like [the one that] exists in multiple sclerosis, is that right off the bat, we can provide myth busting to help sort out fact from fiction, from all the internet fluff that's out there, that is really overwhelming.”

Following her presentation at the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC), October 25-28, Mona Bostick, RDN, LDN, MSCS, founder, Food Matters 365, Greensboro, North Carolina, discussed the multidisciplinary care model for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and the vital part that registered dietitians can play in comorbidity management. While they are not always included, Bostick encouraged the incorporation of dietitians as part of the healthcare team, and further advised patients with MS to seek out a local dietitian in their community if need be.

Distinguishing between nutritionists and dietitians was another point Bostick emphasized, as all dietitians are nutritionists, but not all nutritionists are dietitians. According to Bostick, patients can feel confident in what they can expect from a dietitian, due to the required education, training, and knowledge base, but this is not always the case when seeing a nutritionist. Additionally, registered dietitians can help dispel worry and manage misinformation that is often disseminated online and readily available for vulnerable populations, she said.

For more coverage of CMSC 2021, click here.