Comparing two durations of medically tailored meals posthospitalization: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND

Medically tailored meals (MTM) may be beneficial to patients after hospital discharge.

OBJECTIVE

To determine if 2 versus 4 weeks of MTM posthospitalization will improve patient outcomes.

DESIGN

Randomized unblinded trial.

SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS

Six hundred and fifty patients pending hospital discharge with at least one chronic condition.

INTERVENTION

One MTM a day for 2 versus 4 weeks.

MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was a change from baseline to 60 days in the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS). Secondary outcomes measured change in the Katz activities of daily living (ADLs), DETERMINE nutritional risk, and all-cause emergency department (ED) visits and rehospitalizations.

RESULTS

From baseline to 60 days the HADS anxiety subscale changed 5.4-4.9 in the 2-week group (p = .03) and 5.4-5.3 in the 4-week group (p = .49); the difference in change between groups 0.4 (p = .25). HADS changed 5.4-4.8 in the 2-week group (p = .005) and 5.3-5.1 in the 4-week group (p = .34); the difference in change between groups 0.4 (p = .18). ADL score changed from 5.3 to 5.6 in the 2-week group (p ≤ .0001) and 5.2-5.5 in the 4-week group (p ≤ .0001); the difference in change between groups -0.01 (p = .90). The DETERMINE changed in the 2-week group from 7.2 to 6.4 (p = .0006) and from 7 to 6.7 in the 4-week group (p = .19); the difference in change between groups 0.5 (p = .13). There was no difference in ED visits and rehospitalizations between groups or time to rehospitalization.

CONCLUSIONS

Different durations of short-term MTM did not affect patient-centered or utilization outcomes.