Elements of Ethical Billing for Nutrition Professionals

Abstract

T HE PROVISION OF CLINICAL nutrition services is a core activity within the profession of dietetics. It isnotonlythedietetics practitioners who provide the clinical nutrition service that must understand and comply with sound business and ethical billing practices; those who provide one or more of the myriad of food, administrative, community, education, and/or research components that support and augment reimbursable services, includingbillers, mustalsoknowandadheretotheelementsof ethical billing across the continuum of both practice management and the delivery of clinical nutrition care (1) (Codeof Ethics Principles 1, 2, 4). The Code of Ethics is designed to ensure competent, values-based practice (1). It should not be used to resolve business or practice disputes between dietetics practitioners, other health care providers, and/or consumers (2). Poor business practices are associated with the multiple “losses”: loss of brandandprofessional reputation, loss of customers, employees, revenue, and in the end, loss of thebusiness itself. Business/contract disputes are not automatically Code of Ethics violations, but may often result from poor business practices, unprofessional be-