Semra Pehlivan, Dietitian

Semra Pehlivan is a dietitian in the Nutrition & Diet unit at Acibadem Bursa Hospital in Bursa. She works with patients who need personalised nutrition and diet planning as part of their overall care, including patients who require clinical nutrition support such as enteral or parenteral nutrition. She has more than 17 years of experience in the field and consults in Turkish and English.

Semra Pehlivan studied at Yeditepe University Faculty of Health Sciences between 2009 and 2015 and completed a Master’s Degree with Thesis in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics (English) at Yeditepe University in 2015. In 2013 she completed English Language Education at LAL Language Centers. Her professional experience includes Kadıköy Acıbadem Hospital, Kozyatağı Acıbadem Hospital, Gülhane Military Medical Academy and İstanbul Fatih University Faculty of Medicine Hospital in 2014, followed in 2015 by Lütfi Kırdar Kartal Training and Research Hospital, Erdem Hospital, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, Yeditepe University Hospital and Diyetkolik. She is a member of the Türkiye Diyetisyenler Association and the Clinical Enteral Parenteral Nutrition Association.

Clinical focus

Her work centers on personalised nutrition planning and diet planning. A nutrition plan is developed on the basis of the individual patient’s clinical situation, treatment plan and dietary needs, and is intended to complement the care provided by the treating medical team rather than replace it. Plans may be adjusted over time as the patient’s condition, treatment or laboratory findings change.

Semra Pehlivan also focuses on clinical nutrition, which addresses the nutritional needs of patients during illness, treatment and recovery. This includes enteral nutrition, in which nutrients are delivered through the digestive tract, for example by a feeding tube, and parenteral nutrition, in which nutrients are given intravenously when the digestive tract cannot be used or is not sufficient on its own. The suitability of any form of nutritional support depends on the individual patient’s diagnosis, overall condition and the recommendations of the treating physicians, and is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

How Semra Pehlivan works with international patients

Semra Pehlivan consults in Turkish and English, and interpreters can be arranged for patients who speak other languages. Before a visit, the hospital’s international patient team coordinates the collection of prior reports and imaging, for example laboratory and pathology results, MRI, CT, X-ray or ultrasound reports, operative notes and discharge summaries, arranges appointments and organises the hospital visit. A first consultation typically covers the patient’s history and symptoms, a review of existing reports and previous treatments, a clinical nutrition assessment and a discussion of the dietary options that may be appropriate in the context of the patient’s wider care plan. Video consultation is available for international patients who wish to discuss their situation before travelling or to follow up after a visit.