Dietitian III

Sutter Health•San Francisco, CA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Dietitian provides advanced nutrition care, including Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) or Diabetes Self-Management Education/Training (DSMT) where required by the department, and MNT for patients supported by California Children’s Services. The role uses sound judgment and developed clinical skills to implement patient care plans promptly, build patient and caregiver cooperation through assessment, monitoring, and communication, and follow applicable regulations and policies to protect privacy and safety. Supporting Sutter Sync HF’s multidisciplinary model, the Dietitian assesses nutritional status and creates individualized, diagnosis-specific plans addressing sodium and fluid management, protein and electrolyte adequacy, vitamin D deficiency, food insecurity, and other clinical needs. The Dietitian monitors weight loss, malnutrition, sarcopenia, and cachexia risk; escalates concerns for medical evaluation when appropriate; and collaborates with Exercise Physiology on the nutritional component of the joint frailty intervention. The role coordinates with Pharmacy during steroid bursts for patients with HF/COPD overlap, communicates progress to the HF Nurse and multidisciplinary team, and provides counseling, education, consultation, interdisciplinary care planning, and documentation. As the program develops, the Dietitian helps build and operationalize its nutrition component, including scalable workflows, patient education, referral pathways, and team processes in a virtual care environment. The role requires adaptability, comfort with ambiguity, and the ability to translate clinical nutrition expertise into practical, sustainable operations. The position is expected to be onsite at the Sutter Innovation Center at least two days per week.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in nutrition or a related field.
Completion of an accredited degree program and a supervised practice program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.
RD (Registered Dietitian) or RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist) credential; credentialing must be completed within 45 days of hire and before billing.
BLS.
Advanced credential if required by the department.
Five years of recent relevant experience.
Advanced nutrition and/or diabetes education knowledge and skills for treating patients with varying medical conditions in the department’s areas of expertise.
Strong understanding of human anatomy, pathophysiology, pharmacology, laboratory results, and medical terminology.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including explaining sensitive information clearly and professionally to diverse audiences.
Well-developed time management and organizational skills, including prioritizing assignments and meeting deadlines within standardized operating procedures.
General knowledge of computer applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook, and electronic health records.
Ability to interpret information and instructions in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team, including managing multiple tasks in an environment with interruptions.
Ability to identify, evaluate, and resolve standard problems by selecting appropriate solutions from established options.
Ability to protect patients’ protected health information.
Ability to build collaborative relationships with peers and other healthcare providers.
Ability to interact compassionately and effectively with patients and staff from diverse backgrounds.
Ability to retain and apply new knowledge.

Nice To Haves

Experience providing individual nutrition consultation, assessment, treatment planning, and monitoring for patients with chronic or life-threatening medical conditions.
Experience with heart failure nutrition concepts, including sodium and fluid management, protein adequacy, cachexia and malnutrition risk, electrolyte considerations, and food insecurity.
Experience participating in interdisciplinary care teams, case conferencing, and collaborative planning with physicians, nursing, pharmacy, exercise physiology, and operations teams.
Experience developing or improving clinical programs, workflows, referral processes, patient education materials, group visits, classes, or operational tools in a new or evolving care model.
Demonstrated adaptability, initiative, and comfort working in ambiguity, including identifying gaps, recommending practical solutions, and adjusting as program needs change.
Experience creating patient education, classes, or workshops and communicating nutrition recommendations clearly to patients and staff.
Knowledge of diagnosis-specific nutrition, medical conditions, medication or supplement interactions, and nutrition-related lifestyle-change support.

Responsibilities

Assess nutritional status and develop individualized, diagnosis-specific nutrition plans.
Address sodium and fluid management, protein and electrolyte adequacy, vitamin D deficiency, food insecurity, and other clinical needs.
Monitor and address unintentional weight loss, malnutrition, sarcopenia, and cachexia risk, escalating concerns for medical evaluation as appropriate.
Own the nutritional component of the joint frailty intervention in collaboration with Exercise Physiology.
Coordinate with Pharmacy during steroid bursts for HF/COPD overlap patients.
Communicate patient progress to the HF Nurse and multidisciplinary team.
Provide patient counseling, education, consultation, interdisciplinary care planning, and documentation.
Help build and operationalize the nutrition component of the program, including scalable workflows, patient education, referral pathways, and team processes.
Provide MNT or DSMT to patient populations for which advanced credentials are a department requirement, and MNT to patients supported by California Children’s Services.
Implement patient care plans in a timely manner and follow applicable regulations, policies, and procedures to protect patient privacy and safety.