Healthy Foods and Telehealth “Information Prescriptions”

Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda I. Gibbs, Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas A. Farley and Health and Hospitals Corporation President Alan D. Aviles today announced two new initiatives to expand New Yorkers access to farmers markets’ produce and increase healthy eating. The Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program, under which a doctor and nutritionist assess the health and nutritional habits of patients and families at risk for obesity and provide “prescriptions” to consume more fruits and vegetables is being brought to New York City for the first time in a pilot program at Lincoln Medical Center in the Bronx and Harlem Hospital Center in Manhattan.(www.wholesomewave.org)

NYC takes a truly visionary action step to change our “sick-care” culture to one of promoting wellness. The next step is to include the integrative healthcare practitioners and the licensed CAM providers who have nutrition in their scope of practice. We do know that medical school curriculum does not prepare a doctor with an education in nutrition in order to “prescribe” fruits and vegetables, thus the need for a second layer practitioner, nutritionist. More personnel, more cost.

Cost savings and direct consumer/patient/client engagement can be had at lower cost, in a time efficient manner by accessing a licensed CAM provider, for instance, a chiropractor,who studies nutrition extensively for their licensure, through telehealth delivery. Consultations and information prescriptions can be delivered via telephone, Skype, FaceTime or any of the real-time audio-video systems available.

Investing in healthy foods is a fantastic way to diversify your Wellness Investment Portfolio and begin to be the architect of YOUR Wellness Solution.

Kudos to NYC for leading the way. Advocate for similar pilot programs in your city! ASK for inclusion of integrative healthcare practitioners and Licensed CAM providers who are experts in the field of nutrition to be included in the pilot program. Ask for telehealth! In this way, we introduce the new national healthcare workforce to Americans. We shift the point of delivery to consumers via telehealth to realize highly efficient, low cost, consumer-centric healthcare.