COVID-19 pandemic fatigue has many people seeking a return to normalcy. But health care needs a new normal—one that achieves better health outcomes for more people. Wishing for a return to health care’s old normal is like driving into a long tunnel hoping for a U-turn that takes you back to where you started. Multiple…
The concept of holistic, or whole person, care continues to gain traction as the best way to address the healthcare sector’s overall mission of improved health outcomes, lower costs and improved patient experiences. Understanding the role of social determinants of health (SDOH) has become a primary focus for providers, payers, consumers and government agencies because…
Accountable care organizations (ACOs) can improve health equity in their patient populations, but they need more funding and flexibility to do so, according to a report from a group representing 370 ACOs. “ACOs are already beginning to do the work of addressing negative [social determinants of health] to improve quality and control costs for the…
Applying data governance strategies can help healthcare facilities capture and use social determinants of health (SDOH) data, and a key part of that process is appropriate coding, according to an American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) white paper. “When it comes to revenue cycle, I think what it comes down to is quality,” Julie A. Pursley, MSHI, RHIA,…
There is growing concern among many well-respected providers about the consequences of fewer preventive services over the past 1½ years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As patients slowly start to resume care throughout 2021 and into 2022, experts predict we will see a spike in the number of severe or late-stage diagnoses that normally…
Social determinants of health contracting with community-based organizations remains a complex and challenging task for payers as the demand for answers grows more pressing. As the industry’s awareness of social determinants of health expands, so does the need for evidence-based solutions. Often, these solutions require health insurers and health systems to contract with community-based organizations…
In 2016, Geisinger opened its Fresh Food Farmacy, a program that connects people with type 2 diabetes with fresh food weekly, social services and a care team to help them manage their health. The Pennsylvania-based health system started the program in an area that has high rates of diabetes and food insecurity, and so far,…
As a doctor, it is pretty humbling to reflect on the fairly minimal impact our health care system has on individuals’ overall health. One study I find particularly intriguing shows that socioeconomic factors (e.g., education and income), and physical environment (e.g., security and safety at home and reliable access to transportation), affect a person’s health…
If there’s a silver lining to the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s the spotlight it has put on the role of value-based, virtual health care models to address issues such as access to specialists, healthcare speed and efficiency, and healthcare inequities. Indeed, approximately 75 percent of employers in a recent survey said they plan to ramp up their implementation…
Social determinants of health (SDOH) have been talked about for years, but the COVID-19 pandemic has proved beyond a doubt how powerfully they impact patient outcomes. Data shows that socioeconomically disadvantaged populations globally are over-represented among COVID-19 cases and deaths. Yet, such data may only be the tip of the iceberg. Over the past 18 months, the…