The Association Between Hospital-Based Food Pantry Use and Subsequent Emergency Department Utilization Among Medicaid Patients With Diabetes

Top Things to Know

Hospital-based food pantries can significantly reduce ED visits among Medicaid patients with diabetes.

Addressing food insecurity through hospital-based interventions can improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.

This study supports the integration of food pantries within healthcare systems as a strategy to address food insecurity and improve health outcomes.

Summary of Conclusion/Findings

The study examined the impact of using a hospital-based food pantry on emergency department (ED) utilization among Medicaid patients with diabetes. It found that food pantry use is associated with a 7.3 percentage point decrease in the probability of subsequent ED visits per patient per quarter. The study also reveals that lower-intensity food pantry users (1-5 visits) experience even greater reductions in ED utilization compared to higher-intensity users.