Hospitals

NYC tries prescribing parsnips to get high-risk patients to eat fruits and veggies

When I was talking with some ex-pharma people about wellness programs at CONVERGE, the bottom line was “No one will pay for it.” If no one will foot the bill for the work, it doesn’t matter how good your patient engagement plan is or how sophisticated your predictive analysis is. Gothamist reports on a pilot […]

By on July 24, 2013

When I was talking with some ex-pharma people about wellness programs at CONVERGE, the bottom line was “No one will pay for it.” If no one will foot the bill for the work, it doesn’t matter how good your patient engagement plan is or how sophisticated your predictive analysis is.

Gothamist reports on a pilot program in New York City that involves doctors, vegetables, and poor people. The city is working with 140 patients to see if vouchers for farmers markets will increase veggie consumption.

In an effort to get New Yorkers to eat a little healthier, the city is launching a pilot program at two hospitals that will have New Yorkers receive “prescriptions” that can be used to purchase fruits and vegetables at farmers markets.

The program, which is part of a national campaign to help doctors change the eating habits of their patients, will focus on low-income, high-risk patients who desperately need to change their diet. The program will launch at Harlem Hospital and Lincoln Medical Center in the South Bronx.

Patients will receive Health Bucks, $2 coupons that can be used at any of the 142 farmers markets across the city. Doctors will then monitor the patients in the pilot program over the course of four months, and have their weight and body mass index evaluated by their doctor, as well receive counseling on healthy eating.

presented by

As they always do, the writers at Jezebel cut to the heart of the issue:

… it’d be really cool if the health counseling incorporated cooking classes, because that’s a huge issue for many people. If you don’t know how to cook parsnips, no amount of Health Bucks is gonna get them into your gullet.
 These programs are only as successful as the assistance provided with them.

I’d also like to know if this will also be offered to people who aren’t fat — it’s one thing to offer tools to an entire community, and it’s quite another to leave out segments because they don’t “look” unhealthy.

If this program works, maybe it will set off another round of corporate wellness programs that includes cooking classes and coupons for farmers markets.