Healthcare Professionals Bridging the Gap: Empowering Patients with Necessary Nutrition
In a progressive shift towards holistic healthcare, several healthcare organizations are integrating food as medicine programs with electronic health records (EHRs) to manage chronic diseases, particularly diabetes.
One such example is the partnership between Elevance Health and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). This collaboration aims to integrate Food as Medicine (FAM) programs directly into primary care within Community Health Centers (CHCs), connecting Medicaid members at risk for diet-related chronic conditions to personalised nutrition interventions, coaching, and referrals through regular primary care visits [1].
This integration is part of a broader approach to treat nutrition as a clinical lever, not just a social driver of health, thereby enabling more personalised and scalable interventions for chronic disease management within EHR-enabled primary care systems [1].
Augusta Health, a nonprofit community hospital based in Virginia, is another institution embracing this approach. In partnership with Allegheny Mountain Institute, they have implemented the AMI Farm at Augusta Health and launched the Food Farmacy program. This initiative serves more than 80 patients, offering an onsite food pantry and Crops to Community, which delivers food boxes [2]. Participants in the program meet with physicians and dietitians each week to learn about the connections between nutrition and health. Remarkably, patients have reported increased energy and significant decreases in A1C levels during pre- and post-biometric screenings [2].
Geisinger's Fresh Food Farmacy, another notable example, has expanded to three brick-and-mortar locations and developed an app that integrates with Epic for scheduling, recipes, and progress monitoring. Dietitians and registered nurses can use the EHR to share patients' diabetes progress with primary care physicians and medication therapy management pharmacists [3]. Geisinger's Fresh Food Farmacy shows lower A1C levels, fewer emergency department visits and admissions, and increased preventive care engagement among patients [3].
St. Barnabas Hospital in New York City also adopts a whole-person approach, with a rooftop farm, greenhouse, beehives, farm stand, food pantry, and nutrition and fitness workshops for patients with food insecurity, diabetes, and hypertension [4].
As digital health tools and AI-driven platforms become more integrated with EHRs for chronic disease nutritional management, they represent another method to enhance chronic disease management through nutrition-focused care [5]. These technologies help personalise diet recommendations, detect complications early, and improve self-management support [5].
Industry initiatives like the CMS Health Technology Ecosystem and interoperability standards such as HL7 FHIR are driving the capability for such program integrations with EHRs more broadly by enabling secure, standards-based data exchange and alignment between clinical and community nutrition resources [6][7].
Catherine Hill, the health educator for community outreach and partnerships at Augusta Health, emphasises the hospital's focus on nutrition to help patients manage chronic diseases and improve their quality of life [2]. Augusta Health aims to meet community needs as best as possible [2].
References:
[1] Elevance Health and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) Launch Initiative to Integrate Food as Medicine Programs into Primary Care. (2021, March 30). Retrieved from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/elevance-health-and-the-national-association-of-community-health-centers-nachc-launch-initiative-to-integrate-food-as-medicine-programs-into-primary-care-301260267.html
[2] Augusta Health. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.augustahealth.com/
[3] Geisinger Fresh Food Farmacy. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.geisinger.org/services/community-programs/fresh-food-farmacy
[4] St. Barnabas Hospital. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.stbarnabashospital.org/
[5] The Impact of Digital Nutrition Platforms on Chronic Disease Management. (2020, October 28). Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/impact-digital-nutrition-platforms-chronic-disease-management
[6] CMS Health Technology Ecosystem. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/health-technology-ecosystem/
[7] HL7 FHIR. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.hl7.org/fhir/
- The integration of Food as Medicine programs with electronic health records (EHRs) is being leveraged by healthcare organizations to manage chronic conditions, particularly diabetes, signifying a shift towards holistic healthcare.
- The collaboration between Elevance Health and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) aims to incorporate Food as Medicine (FAM) programs into primary care within Community Health Centers (CHCs).
- Healthcare institutions like Augusta Health are partnering with organizations to implement Food Farmacy programs, offering patients guidance in nutrition, healthy diets, and cooking as part of a broader approach to chronic disease management.
- As technology advances, digital health tools and AI-driven platforms are becoming more integrated with EHRs to provide personalized diet recommendations, early detection of complications, and improved self-management support for patients with chronic diseases.
- Industry initiatives like the CMS Health Technology Ecosystem and interoperability standards such as HL7 FHIR are driving the capability for such program integrations with EHRs more broadly, enabling secure, standards-based data exchange and alignment between clinical and community nutrition resources.
- In addition to nutrition, lifestyle practices such as fitness and exercise are also becoming essential components of whole-person healthcare programs offered by hospitals like St. Barnabas Hospital, which includes a rooftop farm, nutrition and fitness workshops, and a food pantry for patients with food insecurity and chronic conditions.
