NOTCH PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION PROJECT

The goals of the NOTCH Produce Produce Prescription Projectare aimed at supporting anintegrative approach to the healing arts, promoting "food as medicine" in the treatment and prevention of diet-related illnesses among staff and patients, improving health and wellbeing through increasing participants' access and agency inthe procurement of fresh fruits and vegetables.Additionally, this project willevaluate cost-savings impacts for afederally qualified health center (FQHC) in Vermont through monitoring patient service utilization with the goal of informing and creating an effective base program model for other FQHCs to adopt.Twenty-five percent of participants will increase their consumption of fruits and/or vegetables through increased capacity to procure fresh produce and increased understand of the importance of consuming fruits of vegetables for health.There will be a 30% reduction in participants screening positive for food insecurity as measured by the Hunger Vitals™ screening tool.Participants with chronic conditions that impact mortality, morbidity, cardiovascular health, and metabolic dysfunctions will see an improvement in their biomarkers.Patients with insulin, and non-insulin dependent diabetes with a HbA1c over 7% at the beginning of the study should see a 1%, or more, decrease in their HbA1c percentages by the end of the study.Patients with hypertension should see a decrease in their blood pressure measurements by at least 10 mmHg (systolic and diastolic) or more.Patients with dyslipidemia and mixed hyperlipidemia should see a reduction in their low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by at least 10% and increase their high-density lipoprotein (HDL) by at least 10% after the study period.Seventy-five percent of participants will visit their Primary Care Provider for an annual well visit.There will be a 30% reduction in no-show appointment rate to primary care appointments achieved by the study population.