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An ONC analysis shows that 83 percent of non-federal acute care hospitals participate in some social determinants of health (SDOH) data collection. Still, challenges related to routine screening data collection exist.
SDOH specifically refers to the environments in which individuals live, work, and play. When these social needs, such as transportation, housing, and food security, remain unaddressed, they can shape the health outcomes of patients.
In light of this, hospitals are uniquely positioned to mitigate these social risk factors by screening for social needs, assisting in care transitions, and linking to social service organizations. This is where the collection of SDOH data becomes crucial.