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Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity: Food as Medicine
Learn about how Allegheny Health Network's "Food as Medicine" initiative tackles food insecurity and enhances health through personalized nutrition support.
In this episode of the Managed Care Cast series, Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity, Colleen Ereditario, MPH, RD, LDN, program manager, shares how the “Food as Medicine” approach of Allegheny Health Network (AHN) addresses food insecurity and guides patients to improve their health.
Through its innovative Healthy Food Centers, AHN identifies patients at risk by using a screening tool focused on social drivers of health. Patients are then referred to 1 of 6 centers, where they receive immediate and low-barrier access to nutritious food. What sets these centers apart is that they are staffed by registered dietitians who provide personalized nutrition counseling, taking into account individual health needs and cultural preferences.
When aiming to meet the needs of a community or an individual, taking the time to understand their needs, instead of assuming you already know, should be the priority—one of the first things Ereditario observed when working with AHN in the early era of the program in 2018. “The best way to assess what their needs are is by asking the people that you're serving what they need,” she says. “That's how you're going to provide the most valuable resources: just listening to what they're saying.”
Nutrition is a key factor for health; when access to food is limited to low-quality options or hindered altogether, it has direct consequences on an individual’s health and can easily exacerbate chronic conditions. "Because there is a strong correlation between those who are food insecure and having poor health outcomes, that's why we really address these services within the health care system," Ereditario explains.
AHN collaborates with local food banks and organizations to ensure a steady supply of fresh produce and essential items. Ereditario also discusses the implications of potential Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit cuts and how these changes can impact demand and resource allocation. When looking to the future of the Health Food Centers, she shares plans to expand services and meet community needs through partnerships and grants.
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