Encouraging Healthy Nutrition Through Telehealth
Thursday, September 1, 2016
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Section: Spotlight Articles, August 2016




Through a grant from the United Health Foundation, TPCA has contracted with Dietitian Associates, Inc., of Memphis to provide nutrition counseling for patients served by Tennessee health centers. Patients with diabetes, hypertension and other chronic conditions have been referred to this program. The referrals are conducted through telehealth using either a telehealth cart or a personal computer.

Since the program began in August 2015, more than 400 completed appointments have occurred for adults and children. This program encourages healthy lifestyles, including healthy eating and increased activity, self-management of chronic conditions, and weight control. Obese children have lost weight and underweight children who participate in the program have gained weight. One patient seen at Cherokee Health Services’ Tazewell clinic lost 28 pounds in three months. At Cherokee’s Englewood clinic, an obese mother and son have both lost weight. Now, instead of bringing soda to their clinic visits, they come with water and both report increased energy, and are feeling better about themselves and about their health.

Hardeman County Community Health Center has a garden (pictured, right) at their Stanton clinic site in an effort to promote good nutrition. Patients who participate in the nutrition referral program have access to vegetables from the garden and, to make it even better, Dietitian Associates provides recipes for vegetables that are plentiful in the garden. (Here is a great recipe from Dietitian Associates for Baked Eggplant Parmesan Boats with Ground Turkey … Enjoy!)

If you would like more information about the Nutrition Referral via Telehealth program, please contact Luke Terwilliger or Terri Crutcher.
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