It Takes a Village: A Standardized Approach to Addressing Social Determinants of Health
Presentation
Overview
Overview
Description
“It Takes a Village”: A Standardized Approach to Addressing Social Determinants of Health
Background: Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) have been shown to influence equitable access to healthcare. Unmet social needs can negatively impact receipt of routine screening, preventative care, and chronic illness management leading to disparities in health outcomes. In this quality improvement project, we implemented a standardized SDOH screening and referral process during clinic visits in a local health department to identify and address issues with related to SDOH. Description: The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) SDOH screening tool and referral process was implemented for 12 weeks. Staff were trained to assist with SDOH screening and refer individuals to appropriate food, housing/utilities, transportation, and interpersonal safety resources. 310 patients out of 965 (32%) were screened. A total of 142 (46%) were referred to one or more community resources as follows: 68 (46%) for food insecurity, 37 (25%) for housing and utilities, 23 (16%) for transportation, and 19 (13%) for interpersonal safety. Lessons Learned: Implementing a SDOH screening program to identify unmet social needs is feasible and can improve appropriate referrals to community resources. Frontline staff buy-in was essential for successful implementation. Staff identified barriers to the screening and referral process which should be addressed in future implementation in other NCDHHS health departments. Implications: Improving access by identifying and addressing unmet social needs related to SDOH can be accomplished through a standardized process of screening and referral to community resources. “It Takes a Village” to facilitate a successful SDOH screening and referral process into clinical work flow.
Learning Objectives Describe the impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) and unmet social needs on health outcomesExplain the SDOH screening and referral process, including how and when to screen and strategies for connecting to community resources
