The Food Farmacy Project: Bridging the Gap Between Discharge and the Establishment of a Long-Term, Community-Based Food Source for Patients Experiencing Food Insecurity

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and usefulness of the Food Farmacy Program at Garnet Health affiliated hospitals. The Food Farmacy Program is a pilot program that consists of a closed food pantry which provides positively screened food insecure patients with a food bag containing a 3-day supply of non-perishable food items upon discharge. A total of 2 participants (n=2) received the food bag and completed an outcome assessment survey one week post discharge between April 10, 2023 and April 21, 2023. Participant responses were recorded in an excel spreadsheet and analyzed for frequency of each response to each question. Results of this study show that both participants (100%) found the food bag to be “very useful”, lasted them an average of 3.5 days, helped them maintain satiety for the duration, and was age appropriate for their household. The results of this study indicate that the Food Farmacy Program should continue to be offered in the Garnet Health system as a supplement to other interventions aimed at addressing food insecurity