Food Is Medicine post-operative meal delivery for orthopaedic trauma patients
Impact of A Postoperative Meal Delivery Program on Malnutrition in Orthopaedic Trauma Patients
This project will try whether delivering medically tailored meals and shakes for 12 days after surgery helps orthopaedic trauma patients recover better and improve metabolic lab markers.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 75 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Los Angeles, California) |
| Trial ID | NCT07169448 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This is a prospective observational program at Cedars-Sinai that provides 12 days of medically tailored meals and shakes delivered to patients' homes through a partnership with Meals on Wheels. Participants are orthopaedic trauma surgery patients discharged home and will have metabolic labs drawn at their 2-week and 6-week post-operative visits. The project tracks acute wound complications, changes in metabolic biomarkers over time, and patient-reported outcomes (PROMIS) plus qualitative feedback. All participants will be followed for up to one year to capture recovery trajectories and complication rates.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults (18+) who had orthopaedic trauma surgery with an inpatient stay at Cedars-Sinai, speak English or Spanish, were discharged home, and live in the specified Los Angeles zip codes are eligible.
Not a fit: Patients who are pregnant, have congenital metabolic conditions, have dietary restrictions that cannot be accommodated, have research opt-outs, or live outside the specified zip codes are unlikely to benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce post-operative wound complications, improve recovery metrics, and inform post-op nutrition programs that lower healthcare costs.
How similar studies have performed: Medically tailored meal programs have shown benefits in chronic disease and malnutrition contexts, but applying a short post-operative meal delivery program specifically to orthopaedic trauma recovery is relatively novel and not well established.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Individuals 18 years old or older are included. * English or Spanish speaking * Reside in the following zip codes: 90001, 90002, 90003, 90004, 90005, 90006, 90007, 90008, 90009, 90010, 90011, 90012, 90013, 90014, 90015, 90016, 90017, 90018, 90019, 90020, 90021, 90023, 90026, 90027, 90028, 90029, 90031, 90035, 90036, 90037, 90038, 90039, 90043, 90044, 90046, 90047, 90048, 90052, 90057, 90059, 90061, 90062, 90065, 90068, 90069 * Discharged home, either directly from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center or after time in a skilled nursing facility or acute rehab * Orthopaedic trauma surgical patients that have had an operation and inpatient stay at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Exclusion Criteria: * Any records flagged "break the glass" or "research opt out." * Any pregnant patients. * Patients with any congenital metabolic conditions * Patients with dietary restrictions (ex. Kosher, Halal, vegan, gluten free, etc.) that are unable to be reasonably accommodated by St. Vincent Meals on Wheels * Any patients with mental illness the prevents them from giving consent. * Patients with dementia or cognitive impairment. * Patients who are homeless and/or unreliable to follow up
Where this trial is running
Los Angeles, California
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center — Los Angeles, California, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Carol Lin, MD — Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Program Manager
- Email: joel.arnold@cshs.org
- Phone: 424-314-0536
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.