Fruit Street Health Hires Rachel Neifeld RD CDE to Lead Digital Diabetes Prevention Program Development
New York, New York (PRWEB) October 08, 2017 -- Fruit Street Health, the first telehealth provider of the CDC’s Diabetes Prevention Program, has hired Rachel Neifeld RD CDE to lead their digital diabetes prevention program efforts. Fruit Street enables the delivery of the CDC’s Diabetes Prevention Program via group video conferencing telehealth visits using registered dietitians. Patients are also issued a wireless scale, Fitbit, and can take photos of their food in a mobile application as part of the program.
Rachel is a Registered dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator with ten years of experience in the field of nutrition and dietetics. Rachel earned a Bachelor's degree in Science with a concentration in Nutrition & Dietetics from Cornell University and completed her Dietetic Internship with Sodexo. She developed a strong clinical foundation as an inpatient dietitian at Montefiore Medical Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital, then as an outpatient diabetes educator at Beth Israel Mt. Sinai Endocrine Center. Meanwhile, she began working with patients on the virtual platform, Rise, a mobile application in which users take photographs of their food and receive personalized daily feedback from their dietitian, serving as a “dietitian in your pocket.” This fueled Rachel’s interest in the emerging field of telehealth nutrition leading her to pursue the position she currently holds as Lead Dietitian at Fruit Street Health. Rachel uses Fruit Street’s comprehensive telehealth platform to it’s fullest potential by analyzing clients’ virtual food journals and fitness data while conveniently communicating feedback via HIPAA compliant messaging and video consultations. Rachel will be leading the oversight of Fruit Street’s clinical staff of dietitians in the delivery of the CDC’s Diabetes Prevention Program.
Rachel will be spearheading Fruit Street’s virtual diabetes prevention program (DPP). The CDC’s Diabetes Prevention Program is a 1-year long diet and lifestyle intervention program designed to help pre-diabetic patients lose 5-7% of their starting weight to reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. More than 86 million Americans are classified as pre-diabetic and in need of this program. The program dates back to clinical research that started at Massachusetts General Hospital and then a CMS Innovation Grant awarded to the YMCA. The YMCA study which included approximately 3,000 participants found that patients who completed the Center for Disease Control’s Diabetes Prevention Program had a 58% risk reduction for developing type 2 diabetes and seniors had above a 70% risk reduction.
Under Rachel’s guidance, a team of registered dietitians trained to facilitate the DPP will deliver the program using Fruit Street’s unique telemedicine model. Dietitians will use the virtual platform to deliver group video telehealth classes consisting of 6-20 patients on a group video call during which the they screen share an educational powerpoint focusing on the topics of healthy eating, exercise, and stress management. Participants are issued a free body trace scale and Fitbit from their insurance provider, allowing the dietitian to monitor weight and physical activity. Additionally, food choices are monitored and assessed through pictures participants take of their meals and snacks using the Fruit Street mobile application.
About Fruit Street Health
Fruit Street Health is a public benefit corporation and is the first telehealth provider of the CDC’s Diabetes Prevention Program. Fruit Street’s telehealth software enables registered dietitians to conduct HIPAA compliant video consultations with their patients and monitor their health, diet, and lifestyle using medical devices, wearable devices, and the Fruit Street mobile application. The company has raised more than $9M in funding from 200 physician investors. Its mission is to prevent and treat lifestyle related disease using telemedicine, wearable devices, and mobile applications.
Laurence Girard, Fruit Street, +1 (347) 943-6654, [email protected]
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