GEISINGER MEDICAL CENTER -- We told you about a pharmacist's ideas for alternative ways to control diabetes.
A hospital system has an idea to do the same using food as medicine.
As a clinical dietitian for Geisinger Health System, Anna Ziegler counsels patients on a variety of food-related topics. Many of those patients are diabetics.
And now, instead of picking up only medicine, some of them are getting an actual prescription for groceries as part of Geisinger's new fresh food pharmacy program.
"Usually they're willing to take the steps, but there are barriers. And so one of the barriers is affording fresh food," said Ziegler.
Since August, Geisinger has signed up six patients to take part Type 2 diabetics who cannot afford a lot of fresh food.
Each week, they receive lean proteins, fresh and frozen vegetables, fresh fruits, and healthy grains, currently being donated by Weis Markets, along with measuring cups and spoons to get cooking.
The goal is to supply them with as much fresh, healthy food as possible to help better manage their diabetes.
"I usually tell patients it can be in remission. It won't go away but it can be managed, not easily, but it can be managed through diet and exercise and lifestyle changes. That's the approach we're taking," Ziegler explained.
Dr. Andrea Feinberg came up with the idea. She worked as a critical care physician for 25 years and now volunteers at Geisinger.
She says America is getting sicker but doctors need to consider patients' financial burdens.
"They may not be able to go out and join a gym to exercise. They may not be able to go out and buy all the fresh produce we'd like them to. And they may not have the health literacy required to be a compliant patient," said Dr. Feinberg.
And Dr. Feinberg notes patients are given enough groceries for the entire family.
"There's a trickle-down effect to improve the health of everyone in the home."
Program organizers say in the two months they've been doing the fresh food pharmacy, five out of six of those patients have seen a blood sugar drop an average of 100 points.
It's now available in Shamokin only, where Dr. Feinberg says 20 percent of people live at poverty level, but there are plans to expand the program into Sunbury, Lewistown, and Danville.