Tag Archives: Social Determinants of Health

An estimated 41% of people with chronic conditions like COPD, diabetes and congestive heart failure have avoided or delayed medical care, fearing exposure to the virus. By avoiding routine care, your members may be getting sicker and experiencing poorer overall health outcomes, which would then negatively impact your plan’s quality ratings.

When organizations are able to analyze data on these patients’ healthcare activities, but also the social determinants that impact their lives outside of the healthcare system, they can really understand the patients’ barriers to care — and take steps to assemble resources that will improve patient outcomes.

Virtual care delivery offers much more than social distancing and convenience; it allows organizations to “meet the patient where they are” and overcome barriers to care such as lack of transportation and rural isolation.

From a technology perspective, the evolution of COVID-19 has turned out to be a sort of proving ground for the concepts discussed in those January focus groups. Rather than being pushed to the back burner, efforts to achieve connected care through data optimization are ever more critical.

Now is the time for healthcare organizations to incorporate SDOH into their clinical workflows. Doing so can save time, money, and resources; it can increase patient engagement; and, overall, it can improve patient care.