With Founding Members across the entire healthcare ecosystem, the FoodMed Certified Program enables organizations to build a better understanding of food as medicine programs' potential impact on patient outcomes.

WOBURN, Mass., June 20, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Validation Institute, the country's leading organization for unbiased, data-driven insights on healthcare solution providers and their performance claims, announced a new initiative today to further drive transparency in the marketplace and maximize cost-savings: the FoodMed Certified program. With the concept of food as medicine as its driving force, FoodMed Certified launches with support from Albertsons Companies, Avēsis, Mom's Meals®, and Uber Health, all of whom are on board as Founding Members.

With Founding Members across the entire healthcare ecosystem, the FoodMed Certified Program enables organizations to build a better understanding of food as medicine programs' potential impact on patient outcomes. By leveraging Validation Institute's data insights alongside the diverse healthcare expertise of its members, FoodMed Certified's Founding Members will collaborate to research and identify more proven, outcomes-driven food-as-medicine programs across healthcare.

"The FoodMed Certified Program is an unprecedented opportunity to bridge the gap between prescription medication and the use of food as medicine. We have only scratched the surface of how dietary changes and access to healthier foods have the potential to create better health outcomes, and play an invaluable role in preventing chronic disease, personalizing treatments, and mitigating food security issues," said Validation Institute Chief Executive Officer, Benny DiCecca.

"FoodMed Certified levels the playing field for consumers, employers, and healthcare organizations. It allows all three entities to make smarter decisions, expose subpar or fraudulent solutions, and elevate the programs that are truly making a positive impact. Avēsis is proud to be a Founding Member of FoodMed Certified by Validation Institute," said Sean Slovenski, Chief Executive Officer of Avēsis.

"Lack of access to healthy food and grocery options puts a strain on patients, providers, and health plans alike. Food as medicine programs can play a key role in plugging these gaps," said Caitlin Donovan, Global Head of Uber Health. "To drive meaningful change in a crowded market, we need to ensure transparency in the efficacy of interventions; the FoodMed Certified Program is designed to do just that. This launch is a critical step toward unlocking the value of food as medicine programs at scale to drive better patient outcomes."

"Decades of research support that using food as medicine can achieve better clinical outcomes, cost savings, and improved quality measures. There has never been a greater need to incorporate food as medicine as a core pillar for improving health care," said Catherine Macpherson, SVP of Healthcare Strategy and Development and Chief Nutrition Officer at Mom's Meals. "Mom's Meals, leaning on our 24 years of nutrition and health care experience, is proud to be a Founding Member of FoodMed Certified by Validation Institute."

"The practical application of food as medicine continues to gain momentum. As one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, Albertsons Companies welcomes the opportunity to be part of this initiative to highlight effective FoodMed and nutrition programs that improve health outcomes, while also drawing attention to opportunities to provide better access to high-quality food, which can make a significant difference when it comes to reducing and eliminating health inequities," said Irina Pelphrey, Vice President, Health and Managed Care, Albertsons Companies.

Additional benefits of FoodMed Certified include added transparency, improved decision-making for employers, healthcare organizations, and patients, and assurances that through Validation Institute's tried and true validation framework FoodMed Certified programs have undergone an extensive, evidence-based review, with clear measurement standards.

Mr. DiCecca went on to state, "Validation Institute is committed to helping companies and people make informed decisions by providing them with the necessary information about the effectiveness of programs that aid in preventing and treating disease, and also building food security. By relieving companies of the burden of creating these programs themselves and promoting transparency, FoodMed Certified delivers confidence in decision-making, leading to better health outcomes for all."

Additional information about FoodMed Certified, including Founding Members, solutions, and certification can be found at https://www.FoodMedCertified.com

About Validation Institute
Validation Institute provides unbiased, data-driven insights on health care solutions and services by validating performance claims made by solutions providers and educating purchasers to drive transparency in the marketplace and maximize cost-savings.
https://www.ValidationInstitute.com

Press Contact:
Sean Edwards
Chief Marketing Officer
Validation Institute
1-781-939-2618
Sean.Edwards@validationinstitute.com

Media Contact

Sean Edwards, https://ValidationInstitute.com, 1-781-939-2618, Sean.Edwards@validationinstitute.com

SOURCE Validation Institute