AF Form 2567: Diet Order Change – Air Force Guide & PDF

AF Form 2567: Diet Order Change – Air Force Guide & PDF – AF Form 2567, officially titled Diet Order Change, is a critical document used within Air Force Medical Treatment Facilities (MTFs) to communicate modifications to a patient’s inpatient diet order. It supports Nutritional Medicine (NM) operations by ensuring timely and accurate meal service for therapeutic diets, nourishments, and special nutritional needs.

This form pairs with AF Form 1094 (Diet Order) and electronic systems like the Composite Health Care System (CHCS) or Essentris equivalents. Nursing Service personnel primarily use it to notify the Nutrition Management (NM) team of updates.

Purpose of AF Form 2567

The form documents changes to existing diet orders for inpatients. It helps ensure patients receive the correct meals, tube feedings, Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN), or restrictions such as Nothing Per Oral (NPO) status.

Key uses include communicating:

  • Changes to therapeutic or non-therapeutic diets
  • Food allergies or intolerances
  • Special tray preparations
  • Pediatric patient age-specific needs
  • Patient admissions, discharges, or transfers affecting meal service
  • Updates to enteral or parenteral nutrition orders

Local MTF or NM policies dictate exact timing and requirements, but best practices call for submitting diet order changes by 1000 and 1500 hours daily to allow proper meal preparation. Initial diet orders should arrive by 0500 hours.

This process supports patient safety, nutritional therapy, and efficient hospital food service operations under guidelines in AFMAN 44-144, Nutritional Medicine Operations in Medical Treatment Facilities.

Who Uses AF Form 2567?

  • Nursing Service staff: Primarily responsible for initiating diet orders and changes.
  • Nutritional Medicine (NM) / Dietetics team: Receives and implements the orders, including Registered Dietitians and support staff.
  • Providers: May initiate or authorize changes through nursing or directly in electronic systems.

The form (or its electronic equivalent) ensures clear communication between clinical teams and the kitchen/NM department, reducing errors in meal service for active duty members, dependents, and other beneficiaries in Air Force MTFs.

How to Complete and Submit AF Form 2567?

While the official PDF provides the exact layout, typical fields on AF Form 2567 include patient identifiers, current diet, requested change, reason for change, and authorization details. Always refer to the current form and local MTF standard operating procedures (SOPs) for precise block-by-block instructions.

General completion steps (based on standard Air Force nutrition ordering practices):

  1. Patient Information: Enter full name, rank/grade (if applicable), medical record number, unit, room/bed number, and any other required identifiers.
  2. Current Diet: Note the existing diet order for reference.
  3. New/Changed Diet: Clearly specify the updated diet (e.g., low-sodium, diabetic, renal, pureed, NPO, tube feeding formula with rate/strength).
  4. Special Instructions: Include allergies, texture modifications, nourishments, supplements, or tray service requirements.
  5. Date/Time and Signature: Document the date and time of the change, along with the authorizing nurse or provider signature.
  6. Routing: Forward the completed form to the Nutrition Management department per local cutoff times. Many facilities now integrate this into electronic health record (EHR) systems for faster processing.

Download the official AF Form 2567 here: https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_sg/form/af2567/af2567.pdf

Important: Always use the most current version from the official Air Force e-Publishing site. The form dates back to its original 1994 release as an IMT (Information Management Tool) form, with updates handled through Department of the Air Force processes.

Electronic Alternatives and Integration

AFMAN 44-144 explicitly allows use of CHCS, Essentris, or other electronic/MTF equivalents alongside or instead of paper forms. Many modern MTFs rely on these systems for diet ordering to improve speed and accuracy. However, the paper AF Form 2567 remains available as a backup or for specific workflows.

For enteral nutrition or TPN changes, include details such as formula name, strength, and infusion rate when using AF Form 2567 or its electronic counterpart.

Best Practices and Compliance

  • Timeliness: Submit changes promptly to avoid meal service disruptions.
  • Clarity: Write legibly or use electronic entry; unclear orders should be clarified with the provider or NM staff.
  • Documentation: Maintain records per Air Force records management policies (AFI 33-322 / DAFI equivalents).
  • Training: Nursing and NM personnel should receive training on local diet ordering protocols during orientation and annual refresher sessions.
  • Patient Safety: Accurate diet orders prevent complications related to allergies, therapeutic needs, or malnutrition in inpatient settings.

MTFs establish their own guidance on when changes require a new form versus electronic updates, always prioritizing patient care and regulatory compliance.

  • AF Form 1094 – Diet Order: Used for initial diet orders.
  • AFMAN 44-144: Primary guidance for Nutritional Medicine operations, including inpatient meal and nourishment ordering.
  • AFI/DAFI 48-series publications: Cover broader medical, health promotion, and food protection topics that intersect with nutrition services.
  • Electronic Health Record systems (CHCS/AHLTA successors).

For the latest policies, always check the official Air Force e-Publishing website, as forms and manuals are updated periodically.

Need Help with AF Form 2567?

If you are assigned to an Air Force MTF, consult your facility’s Nutrition Management department, Nursing Education, or the on-site Registered Dietitian for hands-on training and local SOPs. Proper use of AF Form 2567 (and its electronic equivalents) directly contributes to high-quality patient care and mission readiness.

Keywords: AF Form 2567, Diet Order Change, Air Force nutrition form, inpatient diet order, AFMAN 44-144, MTF diet ordering, therapeutic diet change.

This article is for informational purposes and is based on publicly available Department of the Air Force publications. Always verify procedures with current official sources and your local MTF policies, as practices may vary by facility.