Using Artificial Intelligence to Write a Smarter Prescription
The CCTC has pioneered a new approach for healthier communities using AI
The principle of “food as medicine” is a cornerstone of preventive health. Yet a fundamental challenge persists in clinical practice — how do we bridge the gap between nutritional advice given in an exam room and the real-world choices a patient makes every day? How can a prescription for fruits and vegetables be effective for a patient who may have limited health literacy, a tight budget or lives in a neighborhood where the nearest fresh produce is miles away?
To bridge this gap, a team at UF Health Jacksonville has pioneered a new approach. By leveraging the University of Florida’s secure, in-house artificial intelligence platform, we have transformed a well-intentioned but underused clinical order into an accessible tool for a healthier community.
The Challenge: A Good Idea in Need of an Update
Our fruit and vegetable prescription has deep roots. It was created as part of a grant project by Alexanderia Burwell, MSN, APRN-BC. Her work as program manager for the Patient-Centered Medical Home program was grounded in the Patient-Centered Medical Home model with a philosophy focused on comprehensive, coordinated care. The prescription was born from that spirit.
It was picked up by a handful of providers outside of the grant between 2020 and 2022, but usage slowed in 2023. In 2024, the Center for Convening Transformative Care, or CCTC, identified the order as a tool with untapped potential. After discussions with internal stakeholders, it became clear that the order could grow beyond its beginnings by redesigning it for the modern patient — translating clinical terms into accessible language, adding practical guidance for busy lives and incorporating realistic options available at convenience stores and fast-food restaurants to better meet patients where they are.
The Innovation Engine: Rewriting the Prescription with AI
Rather than simply rewriting the existing text, the CCTC team opted for an innovative path. For the first time at UF Health Jacksonville, we used NaviGator Chat, the university’s comprehensive, self-service artificial intelligence platform, to completely reimagine a patient-facing clinical order.
Unlike public AI tools, NaviGator provides a collection of powerful Large Language Models, or LLMs, in a private, secure environment, allowing faculty and staff to interact with data confidentially. An LLM is an advanced AI trained on enormous datasets, enabling it to recognize, analyze and generate humanlike text with remarkable nuance.
Server racks housing the HiPerGator AI supercomputer at the University of Florida.
This technology was the ideal catalyst for change, allowing the team to move beyond simple word changes and test complex hypotheses in real time. The team entered an iterative dialogue with the AI, posing difficult, real-world scenarios our patients navigate, such as:
- “Generate a list of on-the-go fruit and vegetable options available at a typical gas station or fast-food restaurant. Review the nutritional content of proposed fast-food items, and list their pros and cons.”
- “How can this section be adapted for patients at a low level of literacy? Give examples tailored to 2nd- and 3rd-grade reading levels.”
- “What are simpler, budget-friendly foods that would be known to Jacksonville, FL, residents for foods like ‘Swiss chard’ or ‘guava’?”
NaviGator served as a powerful collaborator, processing these prompts to generate dozens of variations in seconds. It helped break down complex nutritional goals into simple, actionable steps and frame them with empathetic, encouraging language. This pioneering use of AI enabled a transformative leap in a fraction of the time.
From Algorithm to Action: Refining with Human Wisdom
An AI-generated draft, no matter how sophisticated, is only a starting point. Health care is ultimately human. The next critical step was to bring this innovative draft to experts — our clinicians and patients.
We shared the new order with providers like Kadijo Wade-Thomas, MD, for a clinical perspective on practicality and promotion. We then brought it before the Patient & Family Partnership Council for Quality & Safety for feedback, confirming that simple portion guides and realistic on-the-go options were exactly what patients needed. This fusion of AI-driven innovation and human-centered feedback was the key to creating a truly effective tool.
The Result: A Prescription for Real Life
The new fruit and vegetable prescription is now a tool designed for real life. It’s written in plain language and packed with actionable advice. Some highlights of the language include:
- On-the-Go Tips: For dark green veggies, it suggests, “Ask for extra lettuce and spinach on your sub, sandwich or burger. Order a side salad with your meal (ask for the dressing on the side).”
- Daily Serving Suggestions: For beans & lentils, it recommends “several big spoonfuls per day,” suggesting patients “order a bean burrito from Taco Bell” if they can’t get to a grocery
- Smart Shopping Advice: The order includes tips like “frozen & canned options often cost less and last longer,” along with how to reduce sodium and sugar by rinsing canned
A person sorts bins of fresh produce, including apples, citrus, carrots, and leafy greens
Connecting the Clinic to the Community
Our redesigned prescription is powerful because it’s not happening in isolation. It aligns directly with the Blue Zones Jacksonville project, a citywide initiative making healthy living more accessible. UF Health Jacksonville is a proud sponsor of Blue Zones Jacksonville, in addition to being a Blue Zones-approved campus.
This movement is creating tangible change in neighborhoods that need it most. The Corner at Debs Store in the historic Eastside was named a Blue Zones-approved grocery store, a direct response to food deserts and a recognition of the store’s commitment to providing fresh, healthy produce to its neighborhood.
This community-level progress perfectly complements our own efforts, as UF Health was officially named a Blue Zones Approved Worksite in September 2025. Together, these initiatives create a powerful synergy. Our prescription gives patients the plan while our community partners help provide the plate.
How to Put This Tool to Work
We urge all our providers to integrate this new tool into their practice.
- In Epic, go to Add
- Search for “Fruits and Vegetables” [DIET161669].
- Associate it with a relevant diagnosis (hypertension, diabetes, food insecurity, etc.) and sign.
Screenshot of the Orders and Prescriptions Procedures section showing a table with a highlighted row. The Px Code “DIET161669” appears next to the name “Fruits and Vegetables"
To maximize your impact, the CCTC strongly encourages you to also launch FindHelp.org from the same encounter. This platform helps instantly connect patients with local food banks and other resources, creating a comprehensive support system that addresses food insecurity at its root.
Ultimately, this project was about bridging the gap between clinical advice and daily life. The redesigned prescription now serves as a conversation starter and a practical guide, empowering patients to take an active role in their health. Let’s use it to make “food as medicine’” a tangible reality for every patient we have the privilege of caring for.
Please reach out to the CCTC at JaxCCTC@jax.ufl.edu for more information.
