Food insecurity is a silent epidemic. Millions of patients leave hospitals with prescriptions and discharge plans — but no groceries. No referral to food programs. No access to the most basic medicine: nutritious food.
Despite overwhelming evidence linking food insecurity to chronic illness, most hospitals still don’t screen for it.
Only 34.2% of children’s hospitals use universal screening tools for food insecurity (PubMed).
Patients experiencing food insecurity are nearly twice as likely to be readmitted within 90 days (PubMed).
Hospitals Can Do Better — and Some Are
Forward-thinking healthcare providers are leading the way:
MelroseWakefield Hospital (MA) hosts a monthly mobile food market with the Greater Boston Food Bank, serving 650 families — right on hospital grounds (Tufts Medicine).
NewYork-Presbyterian’s Food FARMacia brings a mobile food market to its Washington Heights health center, supplying free, healthy groceries to food-insecure families (NYP Health Matters).
Here mobile markets are an extension of healthcare, isn't that amazing?
Hospitals; It’s Time to Partner with Mobile Markets
If your hospital wants to improve outcomes, reduce readmissions, and close equity gaps — support a mobile market. (reach out we'll connect you!) Partner with them and host a market on-site. Refer patients to healthy food the same way you’d refer them to physical therapy or a specialist.