Photos courtesy of Fairview Health Services.
More than 38 million Americans have diabetes. As cases of this chronic condition continue to rise, UnitedHealth Group’s partnership with Fairview Health Services headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is helping to manage and reduce this number by supporting access to nutritious food. The Fairview collaborative is one of six that UnitedHealth Group has helped develop to reduce chronic conditions across the country.
When people experience food insecurity, which means not having enough or sufficient quality of food, they are also at heightened risk of negative health outcomes and chronic conditions. These include obesity, depression, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Fairview’s Fair Table initiative improves access to culturally appropriate, healthy foods by connecting providers, payers, and local food systems to deliver whole-person care, education, and nutrition through a sustainable supply chain. Since 2022, UnitedHealth Group’s strategic investment and technical assistance has supported Fairview to evaluate and expand the use of food resource navigators. Navigators connect patients with programs and resources that best fit their situations, preferences and nutritional needs.
“Once it’s been determined that a person is experiencing food insecurity, their health care provider makes a referral. I follow up with the patient, whether that’s enrollment in a Fair Table program, a warm handoff to a community partner or resource, or navigating other support services,” said Mang Vang, a food resource navigator with Fairview.
Mang Vang, a food resource navigator, helps connect patients to nutritious food to improve health.
After the first year of the program’s food resource navigation intervention, participants experienced health improvements including an average 7.1% decrease in A1c levels (from 8.5 to 7.9) and 55% of participants decreased their blood pressure. Through the partnership which included The Good Acre and The Food Group, Fairview bought and distributed more than 37,000 pounds of locally grown produce through 42 local farmers. This translates into nearly 45,000 meals.
Earlier this month, which is Chronic Condition Awareness Month, Fairview received the American Hospital Association’s 2025 Foster G. McGaw Prize for its efforts to create a healthier community for all.
The Fairview collaborative is one of six where UnitedHealth Group has helped develop chronic disease management models. The collective impact of these community health collaboratives improved health outcomes for ER visits, A1c/blood sugar levels, and blood pressure. Outcomes include:
- 63% experienced improved A1c, with an average .69 reduction
- 56% experienced improved blood pressure, with an average 7 point reduction
“Food insecurity can contribute to chronic conditions and negative health outcomes. We are honored to partner with Fairview on this initiative, which reflects our deep commitment to addressing social drivers of health to reduce health disparities — an enterprise priority reflected in our mission. Food truly is medicine, and this partnership is a prime example of how key stakeholders in the health system can proactively work together to create healthier communities.”
Catherine Anderson | senior vice president of Health Optimization Strategy, UnitedHealth Group
Catalyst for change
In addition to those focused on chronic conditions, UnitedHealth Group has developed more than 30 scalable, community-led care collaboratives focused on community health challenges selected by partner communities to improve health outcomes and help the health care system work better for everyone.
Photos courtesy of Fairview Health Services.
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