News
Nutrition Outpatient Program
The West Michigan Regional Cancer and Blood Center (WMRCBC) has just announced a new program offering nutrition services to patient referrals. Their staff dietitian Tanya Lesinski, RD, CSO will provide nutrition expertise and counseling for patients with a number of conditions to develop a specialized nutrition plan based on each patient’s needs.
This new service allows a greater range of patients to receive critical nutritional expertise closer to home. Lesinski is a Board Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition and Adult Weight Management. Her education and experience qualify her to provide nutrition counseling for a range of conditions such as, chemotherapy and radiation symptoms, cholesterol, weight, heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease management. With Lesinski, patients can develop a nutrition plan based on their condition and needs before, during and after all stages of a disease or condition.
“Nutrition is one of the cornerstones of good health. At least four of the 10 leading causes of death in the U.S. – heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes – are directly linked to the foods we choose. This comprehensive program provides an additional reliable resource for our community members to access nutrition care,” states Lesinski.
When a patient is referred they will meet with Lesinski at WMRCBC for an initial consultation during which the patient will participate in the appropriate nutrition education and development of a nutritional plan. Follow up appointments will be scheduled based on the patient’s particular needs. WMRCBC will work with referring physicians and self referrals and can handle insurance billing where appropriate. Additionally, WMRCBC will have an affordable fee schedule for those patients who lack insurance coverage for nutrition services or otherwise choose to pay “out of pocket.”
In addition to the Nutrition Outpatient Program, WMRCBC continues to provide expertise in oncology, hematology, complementary and integrative medicine and infusion treatments.
“Our focus has always been on treating the whole person. Providing nutrition services is just one more step toward helping our patients, and our community, maintain quality of life regardless of their health status,” states Eric Maly, WMRCBC president.
The Nutrition Outpatient Program will allow WMRCBC to connect with more community members. Their vision for the center is greater than offering specialized services - they want to help the entire person throughout their journey to improved health.
