Will a Programmatic Framework Integrating Food Is Medicine Achieve Value on Investment?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Nutrition Science
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Diet-related chronic diseases are a leading cause of death in the USA.
• Food is Medicine (FIM) interventions show promise in managing these diseases.
• Current FIM approaches often prioritize food provision over skill-building, creating a gap in long-term behavior change.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a theoretical framework for integrating FIM interventions into clinical practice.
• To outline methods for tracking patient outcomes and healthcare costs associated with FIM.
• To identify potential financial benefits and inform viable economic models for FIM programs.

Main Methods:

• The paper proposes a framework for optimizing clinical services to deliver FIM interventions.
• It emphasizes tracking patient outcomes and healthcare cost savings or revenue generation.
• The framework aims to integrate various FIM modalities and evaluate their collective impact.

Main Results:

• Existing literature supports individual FIM modalities but lacks evidence on integrated approaches.
• The proposed framework offers a roadmap for implementing and evaluating FIM interventions.
• It addresses the need for skill development to ensure sustained positive health behaviors.

Conclusions:

• An integrated FIM approach, supported by a robust framework, can enhance patient outcomes.
• Optimizing FIM services can lead to significant healthcare cost savings and revenue generation.
• This framework provides a pathway to demonstrate the value and financial viability of FIM in clinical settings.