What You Should Know:
– Medical Home Network (MHN), an organization supporting value-based care in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) forms a collaboration with Instacart, the North American grocery technology leader, to integrate Instacart’s SNAP eligibility screener into MHNConnect, its care management platform.
– The strategic partnership aims to address food insecurity among vulnerable populations and improve health outcomes.
Tackling Food Insecurity in FQHCs
FQHCs serve a significant portion of the U.S. population, including millions of individuals from low-income households who experience food insecurity. Lack of access to nutritious food is a major social determinant of health, contributing to an increased risk of chronic diseases and developmental problems.
This collaboration between MHN and Instacart will empower care teams at over 80 FQHCs to:
- Screen patients for SNAP eligibility: Identify patients who may qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
- Facilitate SNAP enrollment: Assist patients in navigating the SNAP enrollment process.
- Educate patients on benefit utilization: Show patients how to use their SNAP benefits through Instacart’s grocery delivery platform.
Integrating SNAP Screening into Care Management
By embedding Instacart’s SNAP eligibility screener directly into MHNConnect, the care management platform used by MHN’s partner FQHCs, this initiative:
- Streamlines workflows: Integrates SNAP screening into existing care management processes.
- Improves efficiency: Provides care teams with easy-to-use tools to identify and assist patients in need.
- Enhances patient care: Addresses food insecurity as a critical component of comprehensive healthcare.
Building on Existing Partnerships
This collaboration builds on an existing partnership between Instacart and Wellness West, a Chicago-based coalition of health and safety-net institutions of which MHN is a founding member. It reflects a shared commitment to addressing social determinants of health and improving health equity in underserved communities.
“Instacart is committed to breaking down barriers to accessing healthy and nutritious food via delivery to over 98% of U.S. households and via payment methods like EBT SNAP,” said Sarah Mastrorocco, Vice President and General Manager of Instacart Health. “We are proud to partner with an organization like Medical Home Network (MHN) that shares our vision. With this new tool, MHN can better support frontline healthcare workers in connecting individuals eligible for SNAP benefits, enabling them to use SNAP to the fullest.”
