The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this chapter, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

(1) “Board” shall mean the State Board of Dietetics/Nutrition.

(2) “Dietetic and nutrition therapy” shall mean the scope of services utilized in the delivery of preventive nutrition services and/or nutrition therapy. It involves an assessment of the individual’s specific nutritional needs and the development and implementation of an intervention plan. The intervention plan can include nutrition education, counseling, administration and monitoring of specialized nutrition support and/or referrals for additional services. This application and practice of “dietetic and nutrition therapy” shall include the following Scope of Practice:

Scope of Practice:

(a) Nutrition assessment to include the establishment of nutritional care plans, including the development of nutritional related priorities, goals and objectives.

(b) Provision of nutrition counseling or education as components of preventive, and restorative health care.

(c) Evaluation and maintenance of appropriate standards of quality in food and nutrition.

(d) Evaluation and education of nutrient-drug interactions.

(e) Interpreting and recommending interventions to meet nutrient needs relative to individual health status, including but not limited to medically prescribed diets, tube feedings and specialized intravenous solutions.

(f) Development, administration, evaluation and consultation regarding nutritional care standards.

(g) Conduct independent research or collaborate in research areas including, but not limited to food and pharmaceutical companies, universities and hospitals by directing or conducting experiments to answer critical nutrition and food science questions and develop nutrition recommendations for the public.

(h) Direct supervision of registered dietetic technicians.

(i) The use of telemedicine in a manner deemed appropriate by regulation. This also may include participation in telehealth as further defined in regulation.

(3) “Dietetics/nutrition” shall mean the integration and application of principles derived from the sciences of food, nutrition, biochemistry, physiology and behavior as an integral part of health-care delivery to achieve and maintain a person’s health throughout the life cycle. Its application to health care is both preventive and in response to an illness, injury or condition. The application of dietetics/nutrition to health care shall be called “dietetic and nutrition therapy.” The terms “dietetics” and “nutrition” are used interchangeably in this chapter.

(4) “Dietitian” and/or “nutritionist” shall mean a person who engages in the provision of nutrition services. The terms “nutritionist” and “dietitian” are used interchangeably in this chapter.

(5) “Distant site” means a site at which a health-care provider legally allowed to practice in the State is located while providing health-care services by means of telemedicine or telehealth.

(6) “L.D.N.” shall be the abbreviation for the title “licensed dietitian/nutritionist”.

(7) “License” shall mean any document which indicates that a person is currently licensed by the Board of Dietetics/Nutrition.

(8) “Licensed dietitian/nutritionist” shall mean a person holding a current license under this chapter.

(9) “Originating site” means a site in Delaware at which a patient is located at the time health-care services are provided to him or her by means of telemedicine or telehealth, unless the term is otherwise defined with respect to the provision in which it is used; provided, however, notwithstanding any other provision of law, insurers and providers may agree to alternative siting arrangements deemed appropriate by the parties.

(10) “Store and forward transfer” means the transmission of a patient’s medical information either to or from an originating site or to or from the provider at the distant site, but does not require the patient being present nor must it be in real time.

(11) “Substantially related” means the nature of the criminal conduct, for which the person was convicted, has a direct bearing on the fitness or ability to perform 1 or more of the duties or responsibilities necessarily related to the provision of dietetics/nutrition therapy services.

(12) “Telehealth” means the use of information and communications technologies consisting of telephones, remote patient monitoring devices or other electronic means which support clinical health care, provider consultation, patient and professional health-related education, public health, health administration, and other services as described in regulation.

(13) “Telemedicine” means a form of telehealth which is the delivery of clinical health-care services by means of real time 2-way audio, visual, or other telecommunications or electronic communications, including the application of secure video conferencing or store and forward transfer technology to provide or support health-care delivery, which facilitate the assessment, diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education, care management and self-management of a patient’s health care by a licensee practicing within his or her scope of practice as would be practiced in-person with a patient and with other restrictions as defined in regulation.

69 Del. Laws, c. 306, § 1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 74 Del. Laws, c. 262, § 85; 76 Del. Laws, c. 49, § 1; 80 Del. Laws, c. 80, § 19.