The University of Virginia Health System is expanding its Dialysis Food Pharmacy Program to all of its dialysis centers, ensuring that patients facing food insecurity have consistent access to healthy, kidney-friendly foods at no cost.
Food pharmacies began operating in July at UVA Health’s dialysis centers in Augusta, Culpeper, and Page counties, joining the original Charlottesville site where the program was first piloted in 2020.
Each location partners with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank to stock nutritious items suited for patients with kidney disease, including fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains, and spices.
The food is ordered by on-site dietitians and distributed to patients during regular dialysis visits.
Along with groceries, patients receive nutrition education, recipes, and referrals to additional community resources.
“We’re leading the way with our focus on addressing food insecurity within UVA Health Dialysis, eliminating additional travel concerns for patients—and easing the ever-growing burden of choosing food, medicine, or transportation to dialysis,” said Lesley McPhatter, MS, RDN, CSR, clinical nutrition manager for UVA Health Lynchburg Dialysis.
The initiative began as a pilot program supported by a grant from the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.
Since its launch, the program has distributed more than 125,000 pounds of food to over 450 patients through the end of 2024.
The goal extends beyond improving nutrition alone.
Program leaders say the food pharmacy also helps reduce the physical, emotional, and financial stress that often accompanies long-term dialysis care.
Positive Early Impact
At the Augusta dialysis center, registered dietitian Janice Callender said the response from patients has been overwhelmingly positive.
“Many of our patients have very limited resources and dialysis takes a toll on them in many ways,” Callender said. “With the food pharmacy, patients and their families are receiving food that should improve their nutritional status and overall health.”
Similar feedback has emerged from other participating sites.
“My patients really appreciate the food pharmacy and the efforts put forth to keep it up and running,” said Skyler Barbour, RD, who works with patients at the Culpeper and Page locations. “We want there to be no barriers for participating and receiving nutritious, renal-friendly foods from our program.”
Sustaining the Program
Since July 2023, the Dialysis Food Pharmacy Program has been funded entirely through donations.
To date, the initiative has raised more than $60,000, allowing it to expand to additional sites and continue serving patients without interruption.
The growth of the program reflects UVA Health’s broader commitment to addressing food insecurity as a critical component of patient-centered care.
