MCHC
FARMACY
Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation (MCHC), has partnered with the City of Whitesburg/Letcher County Farmer's Market, Owsley County Farmer's Market, Leatherwood Farmer's Market, Elkhorn City Farmer's Market, and Knott County Farmer's Market to provide increased access to locally grown fruits and vegetables through an innovative nutrition program known as
This produce prescription program began in 2015 and has enrolled 2600 participants to date!
The goal of the MCHC FARMACY program is to improve the nutrition and health status of participating households by increasing access and consumption of fruits and vegetables, reducing food insecurity, and reducing healthcare use and associated costs by improving the overall health of the participants.
How FARMACY Works
Eligibility
Any patient with a diagnosis of:
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Hypertension
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Obesity
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Diabetes
Participating patients must be ELIGIBLE for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which would be the household income at or below 130% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for the current year.
Proof of income for all people in the household or Proof of SNAP benefit letter is required.
In order for eligibility to be established, the patient must have one of the above-mentioned diagnoses and must receive a prescription from an MCHC clinical provider, which says "OK FARMACY".
The patient takes this prescription to a FARMACY case manager at the clinic, who then begins the eligibility determination process. Each participating patient will be asked to read a consent and complete a survey at the beginning and at the end of the market season.
Once eligibility is determined, the patient will check in weekly, by presenting their photo I.D. at their local Farmers Market and will receive $35 in tokens each week. These tokens can be used like cash, to purchased fresh fruits and vegetables from Farmer's Market vendors.
At the end of the market day, the local farmers cash in the FARMACY tokens with the market manager to receive payment via a check from the market.
MCHC's registered dietitian provides nutrition education, recipes, and taste testing opportunities at the farmer's markets and is also available at each clinic for nutritional counseling.
The FARMACY program has been a "win-win-win" as stated by MCHC Chief Executive Officer, L.M. (Mike) Caudill. The patients win because they have access to locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables at no cost to them, and hope that the patients' health outcomes will improve, and that their culture of eating will shift and improve to healthier choices of preparation and choice.
The community and farmers win because of the additional funding stream to the participating Farmer's Markets and the local farmers which creates even more economic activity in the community.
MCHC wins because it potentially results in better health for our patients and spotlights the patient-centered mentality of MCHC in the dawn of the era of pay for performance health care. MCHC plans to expand the FARMACy program to other counties in the MCHC service area, as resources permit.
If you would like additional information about MCHC FARMACY program, please contact MCHC FARMACY project director, Erin Gibson, MS, RD, LD, LDE, by calling
606-633-4871
or by email egibson@mtncomp.org.
