/ en Sat, 03 May 2025 08:34:23 -0500 Tue, 18 Feb 25 06:15:00 -0600 /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2025-02-18-3-ways-food-medicine-network-will-drive-change <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/3-Ways-Food-Is-Medicine-Network-Will-Drive-Change.png" data-entity-uuid="814d257c-1ee9-496d-9643-a13f03d18f34" data-entity-type="file" alt="3 Ways Food Is Medicine Network Will Drive Change. Vegetable and fruit on a heart-shaped plate, a wooden scoop filled with red beans, a heart-shaped foam stress toy, blue rubber-coated hand weights, a stethoscope, a blood-pressure gauge, and tailor's measuring tape." width="100%" height="100%"></p><p>Bringing greater rigor and focus to food is medicine programs — which use food to prevent, manage or treat certain medical conditions — has been gaining momentum.</p><p>Take the case of the recently launched <a href="https://now.tufts.edu/2025/02/06/tufts-university-and-leading-health-care-organizations-launch-food-medicine-national" target="_blank" title="Tufts Now: Tufts University and Leading Health Care Organizations Launch Food is Medicine National Network of Excellence">Food is Medicine National Network of Excellence</a> at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, Boston.</p><p>The network will develop, convene and share best practices in Food is Medicine (FIM) to improve well-being, improve health outcomes and increase efficiency in health care. But perhaps more importantly, the organization and its founders, including Kaiser Permanente and six others, aim to standardize efforts to use food to treat specific medical conditions and chronic diseases.</p><h2 class="marketscan">3 Guiding Principles for the New Network</h2><p>The network will collaborate to integrate nutritional interventions that both transform and adapt to existing treatment models, use the latest in research and training to enhance patient care and education as well as raise rates of patient buy-in and participation. The network will pursue three interconnected priorities.</p><ol><li>Members will <span><strong>develop frameworks to assess the impact of FIM interventions</strong></span>, measuring health outcomes and cost-effectiveness.</li><li>The network will <span><strong>share insights and identify opportunities</strong></span> to optimize program design and delivery.</li><li>Members will <span><strong>promote the effectiveness of food is medicine</strong></span> through field engagement and communication with policymakers and the public.</li></ol><p>The network’s other founding members, including CVS Health, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Devoted Health, Elevance Health, Geisinger and Highmark Health, will support this effort.</p><p>Emerging research suggests that food-based policies and programs — such as medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions and nutrition education — can reduce diet-related medical conditions and associated health care costs, Tufts officials note. Those costs are significant.</p><p>Each year, suboptimal diets and food insecurity result in more than 500,000 deaths and cost the U.S. economy $1.1 trillion in health care costs and lost productivity, said Dariush Mozaffarian, cardiologist and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University. By working together with its partners and others in the field, the institute plans to scale evidence-based nutritional interventions that will drive change and improve health while reducing disparities.</p><p>Organizations like <a href="/press-releases/2024-07-18-boston-medical-center-awarded-2024-aha-foster-g-mcgaw-prize#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20(July%2018%2C%202024),for%20Excellence%20in%20Community%20Service">Boston Medical Center</a> (BMC), winner of the 2024 AHA Foster G. McGaw Prize for Excellence in Community Service, have been working to address these issues.</p><p>BMC’s <a href="https://www.bmc.org/nourishing-our-community/preventive-food-pantry" target="_blank" title="boston Medical: Preventive Food Pantry landing page">Preventive Food Pantry</a>, founded in 2001, works to address nutrition-related illness and under-nutrition for its low-income patients and patients with cancer, HIV/AIDS, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, heart disease and other chronic conditions. Individuals with special nutritional needs are referred to the pantry by BMC primary care providers who write prescriptions for supplemental foods that promote physical health, prevent future illness and facilitate recovery.</p><h2 class="marketscan">Investments Flow to FIM Efforts</h2><p>In addition, earlier this year the National Institutes of Health awarded a five-year $3.8 million grant to <a href="https://thedaily.case.edu/food-is-medicine-program-awarded-3-8m-federal-grant-to-support-health-and-nutrition-of-low-income-high-risk-pregnant-women/" target="_blank" title="Case Western Reserve University: ‘Food is Medicine’ program awarded $3.8M federal grant to support health and nutrition of low-income, high-risk pregnant women">Case Western Reserve University</a> in partnership with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, University Hospitals (UH) of Cleveland and MetroHealth Medical Center to provide health and support to low-income pregnant women. The Nourishing Tomorrow program will study 360 food-insecure pregnant patients from UH and MetroHealth.</p><p>The funding will provide one of the first comprehensive, rigorous studies of medically tailored groceries as an approach to reduce food insecurity and improve both maternal and baby health outcomes.</p><p>Elsewhere, the Food is Medicine Coalition, an association of community-based nonprofit food providers, last year released a 32-page FIM accreditation standard that focuses largely on medically tailored meals.</p><p>The stringent requirements call for organizations to have one accredited full-time dietitian on staff for every 1,000 clients they serve. Accredited organizations can’t serve any foods with artificial sweeteners, preservatives or anything ultra-processed. They also are directed to cook foods in a way that “preserves the nutrient value of the food,” such as by “baking, braising and sautéing rather than frying.”</p><p>The investment community also seems to be taking notice of advances in personalized nutrition.</p><h3 class="marketscan"><a href="https://www.faynutrition.com/" target="_blank" title="Fay homepage">Fay</a></h3><p>A nutrition startup that connects individuals with insurance-covered registered dietitians who provide personalized nutrition and lifestyle counseling, recently raised a $50 million series B round by Goldman Sachs at a $500 million valuation. Existing investors General Catalyst and Forerunner also participated in the round.</p><h3 class="marketscan"><a href="https://www.berrystreet.co/" target="_blank" title="Berry Street homepage">Berry Street</a></h3><p>This startup developed a nutrition counseling program for consumers and has a network of 1,000 registered dietitians. It secured a $50 million investment from Northzone, Sofina, FJ Labs, the founder of Revolut, a co-founder of Spring Health, a co-founder of Grow Therapy and the CEO of Found, among others. The funds will help the company add to its provider network and its suite of provider AI tools to "drive better health outcomes for patients.”</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><p><a href="/center" title="Visit the AHA Center for Health Innovation landing page."><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-sm.jpg" data-entity-uuid="7ade6b12-de98-4d0b-965f-a7c99d9463c5" alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" width="721" height="130" data-entity- type="file" class="align-center"></a></p><p><a href="/center/form/innovation-subscription"><img src="/sites/default/files/2019-04/Market_Scan_Call_Out_360x300.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type alt width="360" height="300"></a></p></div></div></div>.field_featured_image { position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } .featured-image{ position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } h2.marketscan { color: #9d2235; } h3.marketscan { color: #9d2235; } Tue, 18 Feb 2025 06:15:00 -0600 SDOH: Food /role-hospitals-nourish-flourish-ohsu-doernbechers-solution-supporting-hungry-families <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-5"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-01/THS-ohsu-food-pantry-700x532.jpg" alt="OHSU. hands reach into a cardboard box filled with groceries." width="700" height="532"></p></div><p>When their child is hospitalized, the last thing parents and caregivers want to worry about is where their next meal is coming from. But across the country, food insecurity often worsens when a child or loved one is in inpatient treatment.   </p><p>Oregon Health & Science University found that many parents and caregivers of patients at Portland-based OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital did not eat though they were hungry, reduced food intake or skipped meals. Those behaviors often persist when patients head home. </p><p>To address this hidden hunger, OHSU Doernbecher launched the Nourish program in 2022 to provide parents and caregivers with food during hospital stays. Recently, the program expanded through a partnership with the Portland Open Bible Community Pantry to launch the Food for Health Network. This collaborative partnership coordinates with 10 food pantries in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties to ensure that families leaving the hospital have access to fresh, healthy and culturally appropriate food. Using a digital platform, families can order groceries online for pickup or delivery, ultimately easing their transition to outpatient care. </p><p><a href="https://news.ohsu.edu/2024/12/09/ohsu-food-pantries-work-together-to-address-food-insecurity-among-patient-families"><strong>LEARN MORE</strong></a></p></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/center/population-health">Improving Health and Wellness</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Wed, 29 Jan 2025 14:53:22 -0600 SDOH: Food /role-hospitals-fred-hutchinson-cancer-center-serves-cooking-resources-nourish-cancer-patients <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-4"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2024-08/ths-fred-hutch-cook-for-your-life-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Cook For Your Life logo" width="700" height="532" class="align-left"></p></div><p>Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle offers more than just high-quality care to their cancer patients. The hospital also provides access to Cook For Your Life, a web-based nutrition and recipe resource dedicated to advancing research on diet, cancer prevention and survivorship.</p><p>For people undergoing cancer treatment, it can be difficult to find meal options that make your body feel good while also tasting good. Cook For Your Life addresses this concern by offering nutritional, science-backed resources for cancer prevention for those in treatment and for healthy survivorship. Resources include a kitchen blog; instructional cooking videos; and a web-based recipe finder that lets users input their symptoms and what they want to prepare, and peruse up to 1,100 free recipe results.</p><p>Cook For Your Life, created by a two-time cancer survivor, was acquired by Fred Hutch in 2019 and offers resources in both English and Spanish.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://komonews.com/news/local/fred-hutchinson-cancer-center-cook-for-your-life-hutch-cancer-patients-survivors-free-recipes-nutrition-diagnosis-phytonutrients-dr-heather-greenlee-research-center-english-spanish-washington">LEARN MORE</a></p></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/center/population-health">Improving Health and Wellness</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Wed, 14 Aug 2024 16:42:18 -0500 SDOH: Food /role-hospitals-mat-su-regional-medical-center-spreads-love-key-food-bank-staple <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-5"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2024-05/ths-Mat-Su-Regional-GH-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Mat-su Regional General Hospital Staff pose with cases of peanut butter" width="700" height="532" class="align-left"></p></div><p>Canned goods — like beans, tomatoes or tuna — are what come to mind for many when considering high-value food bank items. But Mat-Su Regional General Hospital in Palmer, Alaska, hosts an annual event to collect a surprising pantry staple to place high on your donation list: peanut butter.</p><p>Peanut butter has long been a sought-after item for food pantries, thanks to its long shelf life and nutritional value. Mat-Su Regional Medical Center sees it as a critical tool in the fight against hunger within the community, in which an estimated 20% of residents experience food insecurity.</p><p>The team collected more than 1,300 jars of the protein-packed spread during their second annual Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive on April 2, also National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day.</p><p>“We recognize the impact hunger has on an individual’s health and wellbeing, and we want to help those in our community who are struggling with food insecurity,” said Dave Wallace, CEO of Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. “Our Jars of Love Peanut Butter Drive was a great way to partner with community members to reduce hunger in our area.”</p><p><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="https://www.frontiersman.com/valley-health/mat-su-regionals-second-annual-jars-of-love-peanut-butter-drive-to-benefit-local-food/article_55da3af2-f25b-11ee-8c07-bbbf8f1fdea7.html">LEARN MORE</a></p><p> </p></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/topics/promoting-healthy-communities">Supporting Public Health</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Wed, 08 May 2024 11:11:10 -0500 SDOH: Food /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2024-04-23-3-ways-strengthen-food-medicine-initiatives <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/3-Ways-to-Strengthen-Food-Is-Medicine-Initiatives.png" data-entity-uuid="f319b99b-5ca1-4132-a015-bef46dd3a24f" data-entity-type="file" alt="3 Ways to Strengthen Food Is Medicine Initiatives. A silver fork holds a pharmaceutical capsule filled with green fruits and vegetables." width="100%" height="100%"></p><p>Even if you’ve only scanned the headlines, you’ve no doubt noticed a recent surge in the news about Food Is Medicine (FIM) programs.</p><p>These programs — often spearheaded or funded by hospitals and health systems, government agencies, insurers and philanthropic entities — provide food resources to prevent, manage or treat specific clinical conditions in coordination with health care providers.</p><p>FIM programs, which include medically tailored meals, groceries, produce prescriptions, nutrition counseling and more, have gained momentum since the <a href="https://health.gov/our-work/nutrition-physical-activity/white-house-conference-hunger-nutrition-and-health" target="_blank" title="Health.gov: White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health">2022 White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health</a> — and with good reason. Poor nutrition costs the U.S. economy $1.1 trillion and is a leading cause of mortality, according to a <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2808463" target="_blank" title="JAMA Health Forum: Food Is Medicine Movement—Key Actions Inside and Outside the Government">study published in JAMA Health Forum</a> in August.</p><p>Yet, as popular as FIM programs are becoming, some experts are urging providers, researchers and other allied professionals to add more rigor to their programs, to emphasize evidence-based practices and carefully evaluate how they measure FIM program results or outcomes.</p><h2><span>The Push for Evidence-Based FIM Initiatives</span></h2><p>In March, the <a href="https://fimcoalition.org/" target="_blank" title="Food Is Medicine Coalition homepage">Food Is Medicine Coalition</a>, an association of community-based nonprofit food providers, released a <a href="https://openminds.com/market-intelligence/news/food-is-medicine-coalition-releases-accreditation-standards-for-medically-tailored-meal-interventions/" target="_blank" title="Open Minds: Food Is Medicine Coalition Releases Accreditation Standards For Medically Tailored Meal Interventions">32-page accreditation standard</a>, believed to be the first of its kind.</p><p>The standard specifically addresses medically tailored meals, which are prepared for patients with conditions like heart failure or HIV. The stringent requirements call for organizations to have at least one full-time dietician on staff for every 1,000 clients served.</p><p>Accredited organizations also can’t use artificial sweeteners, preservatives or “ultra-processed” ingredients and must cook foods in ways that preserve a food’s nutrient value such as baking, braising or sauteing rather than frying. The coalition says the accreditation process will take six months and will include an on-site visit.</p><p>Meanwhile, Food & Society at the Aspen Institute recently released its <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/news/food-is-medicine-research-action-plan-2024/" target="_blank" title="Aspen Institute: Food & Society at the Aspen Institute Releases the 2024 Food is Medicine Research Action Plan">2024 Food is Medicine Research Action Plan</a>. Building on the 2022 version, the latest action plan presents recent peer-reviewed FIM research in a digestible and action-oriented format.</p><p>The new report provides a path forward to better health care and food systems guided by strong scientific evidence and community engagement, said Kurt Hager, an instructor at the UMass Chan Medical School, in a statement.</p><h2><span>Building Greater Rigor into FIM Programs</span></h2><p>Health care providers like Kaiser Permanente are working to strengthen their FIM programs. Kaiser Permanente recently launched its <a href="https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/news/press-release-archive/launching-the-food-is-medicine-center-of-excellence" target="_blank" title="Kaiser Permanente: Launching the Food Is Medicine Center of Excellence">Food Is Medicine Center of Excellence</a>.</p><p>The center will help the integrated health system expand nutrition and food insecurity screening of its members and connect them with resources like federal programs and food banks. The center’s framework was inspired by the <a href="https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-22-135.html" target="_blank" title="National Institutes of Health Grants: Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Stimulating Research to Understand and Address Hunger, Food and Nutrition Insecurity">National Institutes of Health</a> and will combine clinical services, research, education and community engagement. It will allow Kaiser Permanente to:</p><ul><li><strong>Increase member screening</strong> for food insecurity and nutrition status.</li><li><strong>Expand clinical nutrition training</strong> for health professionals by developing medical curricula and supporting nutrition fellowships.</li><li>Create novel and scalable approaches for providing <strong>evidence-based FIM programs</strong> to members.</li><li>Serve as a <strong>research hub to share research results</strong> with experts in the field to establish the evidence base for FIM and increase its adoption by provider organizations.</li></ul><h2><span>3 Strategies to Support Your Food Is Medicine Program</span></h2><h3><span>1</span> <span>|</span> Embed FIM into your culture.</h3><p>Organizations can appoint a leader for FIM efforts, but the work must be embedded into overall health equity strategy, operations, measurement and financial priorities throughout the enterprise, Jay Bhatt, D.O., a primary care physician and managing director of the Deloitte Services’ Center for Health Solutions and <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/life-sciences-and-health-care/articles/health-equity-institute.html" target="_blank" title="Deloitte: The US Deloitte Health Equity Institute">Health Equity Institute</a>, said in a recent interview.</p><h3><span>2</span> <span>|</span> Develop clear interventions.</h3><p>FIM programs cover a gamut of services. But for food to be integrated into health care in the same systematic way that pharmaceuticals or medical devices are today, health care leaders must develop clear interventions, notes Alissa Wassung, executive director of the Food is Medicine Coalition in a recent Stat report. “My biggest fear . . . is that we don’t have the rigor of defining these interventions, so we implement interventions that actually are not the thing we’re talking about. Then we see subpar outcomes . . . and we abandon the whole project. That’s a very real risk at this moment,” she said.</p><h3><span>3</span> <span>|</span> Explore your options.</h3><p>Bhatt recommends supporting other FIM strategies such as creating a food security task force, integrating food insecurity in existing roles, collaborating with external organizations, educating the clinician network and collaborating with employers.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><p><a href="/center" title="Visit the AHA Center for Health Innovation landing page."><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-sm.jpg" data-entity-uuid="7ade6b12-de98-4d0b-965f-a7c99d9463c5" alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" width="721" height="130" data-entity- type="file" class="align-center"></a></p><p><a href="/center/form/innovation-subscription"><img src="/sites/default/files/2019-04/Market_Scan_Call_Out_360x300.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type alt width="360" height="300"></a></p></div></div></div>.field_featured_image { position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } .featured-image{ position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } Tue, 23 Apr 2024 06:15:00 -0500 SDOH: Food /role-hospitals-baptist-health-food-rx <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-5"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2023-10/ths-baptist-ark-food-pantry-700x532.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Filled grocery bags stand lined up at a food pantry" width="700" height="532" class="align-left"></p></div><h3><em>Addresses food insecurity in the short-term and offers long-term solutions</em></h3><p>Recent analysis of U.S. Department of Agricultural data by the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement revealed that, in over a quarter of all Arkansas census tracts, at least 50% of the population resides in food deserts—areas lacking convenient access to grocery stores and healthy foods. Consequently, individuals in these regions face greater challenges in obtaining proper nutrition, elevating their susceptibility to conditions like diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Living in a food desert stands as one of Arkansas’ prevailing determinants of health.</p><p>Baptist Health recognizes the financial constraints that many patients face, and, in response, developed the <a href="https://www.baptisthealthfoundation.org/areas-of-purpose/food-rx/" target="_blank">Food Rx Program</a> to provide nonperishable food items to patients who have an immediate need.</p><p>Patients are asked two questions using the Hunger Vital SignTM Screening Tool; when they indicate that having additional food would be beneficial to them and their household, they are provided with a bag of nonperishable food.</p><p>Baptist Health’s partner in food acquisition is the Arkansas Food Bank, which helps more than 400 agencies across Central and South Central Arkansas to provide food to those in need. The Baptist Health Food Rx Program provides health-needs specific bags of food to patients in its primary clinics. Diabetes-focused bags offer low-carbohydrate and high-protein food items, while hypertension- and congestive heart failure-focused bags provide low-sodium foods.</p><p>While the Food Rx Program offers an immediate but short-term solution, Baptist Health takes steps to connect patients with more sustainable, long-term support. The health system collaborates with findhelp, whose findhelp.org search engine helps identify national and local social service providers. Baptist Health and findhelp are collaborating to establish partnerships with community-based organizations that provide social services, enabling patients to receive appropriate referrals.</p><p>Patients who receive a food bag from Food Rx can also receive referrals to the SNAP-ARK Call Center, a service provided by the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance. The call center assists individuals in assessing their eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and guides eligible individuals through the application process. SNAP offers a monthly allowance to augment the food budgets of families facing financial difficulties, enabling them to purchase nutritious foods and work towards self-sufficiency. The integration of Food Rx and referrals to SNAP-ARK offers both immediate and enduring solutions for patients grappling with food insecurity.</p></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/community-benefit">Benefiting Communities</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Mon, 02 Oct 2023 14:10:48 -0500 SDOH: Food /case-studies/2022-11-22-howard-university-hospital-washington-dc <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><h2><span>Overview</span></h2><p><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Howard-University-Hospital-Washington-DC.jpg" data-entity-uuid="d2aee77b-2b1b-4c13-8abf-01d3a598f28c" data-entity-type="file" alt="Howard University Hospital, Washington, D.C." width="514" height="348" class="align-right">Howard University Hospital (HUH) is one of America's most historic hospitals. A rich tradition of leadership and service dates back to 1862, to the founding of Freedmen’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. The hospital was the first of its kind to aid in the medical treatment of formerly enslaved persons and African American servicemen returning from the Civil War. Housed in converted army barracks, Freedmen’s Hospital provided a refuge for patients receiving medical care due to the denial of care at other city hospitals. In the late 1860s, Freedmen’s formed a partnership with the Howard University College of Medicine to train African-American medical professionals. In 1909, Congress authorized the construction of a new hospital on the campus of Howard University. In 1967, Howard University was granted full authority over Freedmen’s Hospital. In 1975, the University opened a new hospital opened on Georgia Avenue NW, in the city’s historic Shaw neighborhood. The former Freedman’s building now houses the Howard University College of Nursing and College of Allied Health Sciences.</p><p>Over the course of its 160-year history of providing primary, secondary, and tertiary health care services, Howard University Hospital (HUH) has become one of the most comprehensive health care facilities in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area that now has a designated Level 1 Trauma Center. HUH provides top-tier inpatient and outpatient health care services through its comprehensive set of [14] specialty care departments, including a Department of Emergency Medicine that sees approximately 50,000 patients annually. Further, HUH is home to a variety of centers specifically focused on wellness, cancer, cardiac, diabetes, and infectious disease management, among others.</p><p>A private, not-for-profit institution with nearly 1,700 employees, HUH is the nation's only teaching hospital located on the campus of a historically Black university. It is recognized as a national leader in training future doctors, nurses, and other allied health professionals. HUH offers medical students a superior learning environment, as well as opportunities to observe or participate in ground-breaking clinical research. Together, the medical school and the hospital serve as a training ground for the nation’s top black physicians focused on providing care to historically disenfranchised groups.</p><p>HUH’s mission is to lead in the advancement of health care and health equity, and its vision is to provide exemplary education, service, and research that promote patient-centered, high-quality, collaborative care and advocate for the elimination of health disparities. The hospital must have greater financial stability to invest in the resources necessary to meet its patients’ needs.</p><blockquote><h3><span><em>“Half [of Howard University Hospital’s] graduates go on to treat patients in underserved communities across the country, and each year it trains over half of all new Black doctors in the U.S. But its future is in jeopardy.”</em></span></h3><p><span><strong>Eleanor Holmes Norton</strong></span><br>Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives (D-DC)</p></blockquote><h2><span>Patient–Payer Mix</span></h2><p>Most patients entering the HUH system are covered by public programs, with 86% of visits coming from patients who qualify for Medicare, Medicaid, or local public programs. Respectively, Medicaid and Medicare revenue represents 83% of total net patient revenue and more than 76% of patient discharges. A small number of HUH patients have private, commercial insurance. Further, HUH provides more than $11.5 million in uncompensated care annually to support its promise of caring for patients regardless of their insurance status.</p><h2><span>HUH's Commitment to the Community</span></h2><p>Since the hospital’s inception, advancing health equity has been central to HUH’s mission. HUH sponsors numerous programs and initiatives to promote overall wellness and educate individuals on their health care needs and options to ultimately improve the overall health of the community:</p><h3><span>Faith-Based Partnerships</span></h3><p>By partnering with religious communities across the area, HUH is able to connect with individuals in a place they trust. These efforts are enabling HUH to improve individuals’ access to care before they are faced with a health care crisis, including much-needed mental and behavioral care.</p><h3><span>Emphasis on Prenatal Care</span></h3><p>Leadership at HUH has identified maternal health as a key area of focus. HUH’s diverse clinical faculty are dedicated to helping expectant mothers with lower family incomes overcome barriers in accessing maternal health care. Too often expectant mothers in the DC area struggle with prioritizing their prenatal care as they face challenges with managing employment, caring for their families, and struggling with lack of transportation. These barriers can result in greater risk for mothers and babies of birth in crisis; therefore, HUH has invested in a higher level NICU and has embraced a number of programs to improve access to prenatal care for expectant mothers, including birthing classes, nutritional education, and support wellness check adherence.</p><h3><span>Nutrition Education</span></h3><p>HUH recently participated with an online cooking show to educate individuals in the community on how to prepare nutritious and healthy meals on a budget. The goal is to help educate families to eat more healthfully while keeping grocery costs low. This program was launched to reach families and individuals who live in DC’s Ward 7 and Ward 8 who face sustained hardship.</p><h2><span>Metropolitan Anchor Hospitals Need Support</span></h2><p>HUH has a long and trusted history of providing consistent, quality care to individuals across the Washington, DC area, but financial resources are needed to make needed capital investments, including medical equipment upgrades to treatment for stroke victims and those with cardiac disease. Upgrades are needed to support a health information system for better patient data collection and the adoption of electronic health care solutions. In addition, more investment is needed to improve and maintain the hospital system’s existing infrastructure.</p><p>As faithful stewards of their mission, the team at HUH is dedicated to never turning away a single person in need. Adequate, sustained federal support is critical to making this possible.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/guidesreports/2022-10-21-exploring-metropolitan-anchor-hospitals-and-communities-they-serve" target="_blank" title="Click here to read the Exploring Metropolitan Anchor Hospitals and the Communities They Serve report and download the PDF.">Read the Exploring Metropolitan Anchor Hospitals and the Communities They Serve report</a></div><p><a href="/system/files/media/file/2022/10/Howard-University-Hospital-MAH-Case-Study.pdf" target="_blank" title="Click here to download Howard University Hospital, Washington, D.C.: Metropolitan Anchor Hospitals (MAH)case study PDF."><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Page-1-Howard-University-Hospital-MAH-Case-Study.png" data-entity-uuid="a365b865-d33c-4b83-95ba-331ae6c8175c" data-entity-type="file" alt="Howard University Hospital, Washington, D.C.: Metropolitan Anchor Hospital (MAH) case study page 1." width="695" height="900"></a></p><hr><p><div class="views-element-container"> <section class="top-level-view js-view-dom-id-be68df816e9969767f4ef58f7a7766f6f859ec6568d6aba3077d28c0038c81d9 resource-block"> <h2 id="mahcasestudies">Metropolitan Anchor Hospital Case Studies</h2> <div class="resource-wrapper"> <div class="resource-view"> <div class="article views-row"> <div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="/2024-01-04-adventist-health-bakersfield-california" hreflang="en">Adventist Health Bakersfield | California</a></span> </div><div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content"><time datetime="2024-01-04T08:41:22-06:00">Jan 4, 2024</time> </span> </div></div> <div class="article views-row"> <div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="/case-studies/2023-12-05-henry-ford-hospital-michigan" hreflang="en">Henry Ford Hospital | Michigan</a></span> </div><div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content"><time datetime="2023-12-05T10:22:49-06:00">Dec 5, 2023</time> </span> </div></div> <div class="article views-row"> <div class="views-field views-field-field-access-level"> <div class="field-content"> <div class="meta custom-lock-position"> <div class="views-field-access-level access-type-public" data-toggle="tooltip" data-placement="bottom" title="Members only"><a href="/taxonomy/term/278" hreflang="en">Public</a></div> </div></div> </div><div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="/case-studies/2023-10-25-denver-health-system-colorado" hreflang="en">Denver Health System | Colorado</a></span> </div><div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content"><time datetime="2023-10-25T06:00:00-05:00">Oct 25, 2023</time> </span> </div></div> <div class="article views-row"> <div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="/case-studies/2023-05-12-broadlawns-medical-center-iowa" hreflang="en">Broadlawns Medical Center | Iowa</a></span> </div><div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content"><time datetime="2023-05-12T15:13:18-05:00">May 12, 2023</time> </span> </div></div> <div class="article views-row"> <div class="views-field views-field-title"> <span class="field-content"><a href="/case-studies/2023-05-10-mlk-community-healthcare-california" hreflang="en">MLK Community Healthcare | California</a></span> </div><div class="views-field views-field-created"> <span class="field-content"><time datetime="2023-05-10T08:48:40-05:00">May 10, 2023</time> </span> </div></div> </div> </div> <div class="more-link"><a href="/mah-case-studies">More MAH Case Studies</a></div> </section> </div> </p></div></div></div> Tue, 22 Nov 2022 14:40:31 -0600 SDOH: Food /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2022-10-11-instacart-puts-groceries-and-health-care-one <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-8"> <p><img alt="Instacart Puts Groceries and Health Care into One Basket. A physician in a white lab coat with a stethoscope around his neck holds a small metal shopping cart." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="262307c1-8050-450a-9988-4974b5fbb721" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Instacart-Puts-Groceries-and-Health-Care-into-One-Basket.jpg" width="467" height="248"></p> <p><a href="https://www.instacart.com/company" target="_blank" title="Instacart homepage">Instacart</a>, the nation’s largest online grocery delivery service, is stepping up its game in health care. The company recently rolled out a slew of <a href="https://www.instacart.com/company/pressreleases/instacart-launches-instacart-health-a-sweeping-new-initiative-to-deliver-the-ingredients-for-healthier-living/" target="_blank" title="Instacart Press Release: Instacart Launches Instacart Health, a Sweeping New Initiative to Deliver the Ingredients for Healthier Living">initiatives</a> aimed at improving access to nutritious foods and transforming efforts to address food insecurity. Branded <a href="https://www.instacart.com/company/health" target="_blank" title="Instacare Health landing page">Instacart Health</a>, the division will focus on three areas:</p> <h2>Increase Nutrition Security</h2> <p>The company will expand online access to the electronic benefits transfer system that allows Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants to pay for food with SNAP benefits and to recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families assistance.</p> <h2>Treat Food Like Medicine</h2> <p>Instacart is partnering with health care providers and stakeholders who believe that integrated food and nutrition is an essential component of disease treatment and prevention. The company’s <a href="https://www.instacart.com/company/updates/introducing-instacart-health/#:~:text=Scaling%20Nutrition%20Access,access%20and%20incentivize%20healthy%20habits." target="_blank" title="Instacart: Introducing Instacart Health: Delivering the Ingredients for Healthier Living">Fresh Funds</a> program gives nonprofits, insurers and employers a way to provide money for nutritious foods. It will also launch <a href="https://www.instacart.com/company/updates/introducing-instacart-health/#:~:text=Enhancing%20Collaborative%20Care,way%20to%20send%20groceries%20to%20others." target="_blank" title="Instacart: Introducing Instacart Health: Delivering the Ingredients for Healthier Living">Care Carts</a>, a service that allows providers and caregivers to place grocery orders on behalf of a patient or family member.</p> <h2>Make Healthier Food Choices Easier</h2> <p>With <a href="https://www.instacart.com/company/updates/introducing-instacart-health/#:~:text=New%20Health%20Information,free%20options." target="_blank" title="Instacart: Introducing Instacart Health: Delivering the Ingredients for Healthier Living">Health Tags</a>, Instacart customers now can view as many as 23 item-level labels like low-salt, low-sugar, keto, gluten-free, etc., while they shop online. The company also is partnering with Hearst Magazines, which publishes Women’s Health, Men’s Health and Prevention, to expand Instacart’s collection of more than 3,000 healthful recipes.</p> <p>In May, <a href="https://www.instacart.com/company/pressreleases/instacart-announces-confidential-submission-of-draft-registration-statement/" target="_blank" title="Instacart: Instacart Announces Confidential Submission of Draft Registration Statement">Instacart filed a draft registration statement</a> with the Securities and Exchange Commission in preparation of taking the company public. The company grew during the pandemic as consumers often sheltered in place to avoid infection, but this past March cut its valuation from about $39 billion to $24 billion.</p> </div> <div class="col-md-4"> <p><a href="/center" title="Visit the AHA Center for Health Innovation landing page."><img alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" data-entity- data-entity-uuid="7ade6b12-de98-4d0b-965f-a7c99d9463c5" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-sm.jpg" type="file" class="align-center"></a></p> <a href="/center/form/innovation-subscription"><img alt data-entity-type data-entity-uuid src="/sites/default/files/2019-04/Market_Scan_Call_Out_360x300.png"></a></div> </div> </div> .field_featured_image { position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } .featured-image{ position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } Tue, 11 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0500 SDOH: Food