Pharmacies are cornerstones of local health care, providing access to immunizations, screenings, treatments, and health-related social needs across communities. Pharmacists are frequently visited, trusted, and highly trained in clinical care and effective in supporting chronic disease prevention, management, and treatment. They are well-positioned, therefore, to deliver Food Is Medicine (FIM) care—the holistic care that accompanies the provision of FIM interventions to improve their effectiveness.

FIM interventions present an approach to whole-person health, connecting qualifying patients to foods and nutrition supports that meet the unique dietary needs of their health and food security status. A coordinated effort across a patient’s care team is necessary to connect patients to FIM interventions, monitor their progress, track key health indicators, and adjust the intervention as needed in response to changes in health status. Pharmacists can serve as the connective thread between patients and chronic-care resources and partners—including those related to FIM care.

"Catalyzing Action for Pharmacist-Provided Food Is Medicine Care" provides background, insights, and actionable recommendations for pharmacies and key partners, including health-care payers and policymakers, to scale FIM interventions in their communities. The report contains 12 recommendations, supported by 34 actions, across payment pathways, workflow processes, and technology infrastructure that were developed from extensive research, interviews, and roundtable discussions with key stakeholders representing current FIM providers, public and private payers, technology companies, researchers, dietitians, retailers, and pharmacists.

Download the Stakeholder Map
Download the Summary of Recommendations