Amberwell’s registered dietitian nutritionist, Lindsey Smith, knows that proper nutrition and healthy eating habits are often the keys to healing and avoiding many serious health problems. Having local access to nutrition therapy services allows patients to get the nutritional guidance they need to stay healthy close to home. “Not everyone is willing to travel a long distance into a large city to get support for their nutritional needs,” said Lindsey. “Patients would be more likely to miss out on the support and services that could help them manage their conditions through proper nutrition if they didn’t have Amberwell nutrition services.”
Registered Dietitian Nutritionists
Registered dietitian nutritionists are food and nutrition experts who can translate the science of nutrition into practical solutions for healthy living. At Amberwell Atchison, registered dietitian nutritionist Lindsey Smith provides medical nutrition therapy through offering individualized nutrition recommendations to help manage a patient’s specific health needs while they recover from an illness, disease, or injury. Lindsey provides her services to inpatients at Amberwell Atchison as well as patients referred by their physician, our cardiac rehab team, or our chronic care manager. She also provides assistance to the food and nutrition services staff.
Impact on Patient Experience
As a liaison between the kitchen and the patient, our dietitian nutritionist has a direct impact on patient experience at Amberwell Atchison. “If meals aren’t enjoyable, then patient’s don’t eat well,” said Lindsey. “This can affect their healing process. I help assist them when ordering and make recommendations to make sure they are getting the nutrition they need.”
Lindsey herself has a particular interest in helping the older adult population in our communities maintain proper nutrition intake. Adults who are sixty and older are at higher risk of malnutrition and developing chronic diseases and conditions than younger ages. As we age, we often become more sedentary, experience changes in metabolism, lose bone density and muscle mass, and begin taking various medications. As a result, older adults should adjust eating patterns to accommodate changing dietary needs.
Lindsey Smith
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Lindsey Smith has been serving as a registered dietitian nutritionist with Amberwell since July of 2020. She received a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from Kansas State University and has been in the field for twelve years.
She, along with her husband Jordan and their five-year-old twins, lives in Jackson County, Kansas. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family either outside in their garden or out at their farm, where they raise beef cattle and grow corn and soybeans. Lindsey is active in her community, serving on the Head Start Health Service Advisory Committee and supporting local shops and restaurants, especially during the Christmas season.
