Apr. 10—ALBANY — Phoebe Putney Well being System is increasing its partnership with Flint River Recent by launching a pilot program known as Recent Rx with a research group of diabetic sufferers. By way of this prescription for produce program, uninsured sufferers of major care doctor Dr. Derek Heard will obtain free, contemporary produce each different week for six months.
“If individuals with diabetes do not have entry to contemporary meals and do not put together meals in a wholesome means, they cannot handle their sickness successfully, and they are going to be more likely to endure severe issues from the illness,” Heard stated in a information launch. “Not solely will we offer a field of contemporary produce each different week, we’ll provide diabetes administration schooling in addition to recipe playing cards and cooking demonstrations to assist guarantee our sufferers have the whole lot they should put together wholesome meals for his or her households.”
The preliminary meals distribution and schooling occasion was held on April 7 at Phoebe Healthworks. The bi-monthly occasions will proceed by means of September. Phoebe measured the burden and blood sugar ranges of the members earlier than this system started. The sufferers can be checked once more in three months and on the finish of this system to see if their A1C ranges and weight have improved.
“Diabetes is a severe well being drawback in our neighborhood, and bettering diabetes administration is likely one of the objectives from our most up-to-date neighborhood well being wants evaluation,” Dr. Dianna Grant, Phoebe Putney Well being System chief medical officer, stated. “This pilot program is one small however essential facet of Phoebe’s give attention to well being fairness and inhabitants well being in our complete service space. We all know it would give us measurable outcomes, and we hope it would enhance the well being of the sufferers concerned. We additionally hope to increase this system sooner or later.”
Flint River Recent is an Albany-based nonprofit group that works to enhance entry to contemporary, wholesome, native meals for these in want. Phoebe is likely one of the group’s major companions. Flint River Recent operates a big neighborhood backyard on Phoebe property close to the well being system’s foremost campus and collaborates with Phoebe on many neighborhood outreach and well being education schemes.
