Start Date
5-3-2024 9:10 AM
End Date
5-3-2024 11:00 AM
Description
Abstract
Introduction: In January 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented Health Quality Measure (HQM) 487, which required participating hospitals to annually screen admitted patients for the 5 domains of the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). These requirements allowed hospitals to develop individualized, but compliant, screening programs. Previous SDOH screening research has focused on measurement tools, but not the mechanisms of screening present in various hospitals.
Research Objectives: This study will investigate the mechanism(s) for a social needs screening program (which is reflective of underlying SDOH disparity) in a large, multi-hospital academic health system in the Northeastern United States. A secondary objective will be to determine factors that positively and negatively affect the ability of a program to accurately capture underlying SDOH disparities and improve health outcomes.
Methods: Directors from 17 hospitals within the health system will be interviewed using a standardized survey and structured interview. Questions about topics such as the screening setting, screening administrators, and which SDOH domains are screened for will be asked.
Preliminary Results: Not available.
Expected Outcomes and Significance: This investigation aims to holistically characterize SDOH screening programs in a hospital setting and highlight their distinguishing attributes. This may allow for better contextualization of SDOH data collected across different institutions, leading to a better understanding of disparities across larger populations. Well contextualized data will also strengthen disparity-influenced decision making and allow providers to better leverage public sector and industry social services to address health inequities.
Keywords
social needs screening, health disparities
Included in
Demography, Population, and Ecology Commons, Inequality and Stratification Commons, Medicine and Health Sciences Commons
Social Needs Screenings Programs: Factors for Success
Abstract
Introduction: In January 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented Health Quality Measure (HQM) 487, which required participating hospitals to annually screen admitted patients for the 5 domains of the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). These requirements allowed hospitals to develop individualized, but compliant, screening programs. Previous SDOH screening research has focused on measurement tools, but not the mechanisms of screening present in various hospitals.
Research Objectives: This study will investigate the mechanism(s) for a social needs screening program (which is reflective of underlying SDOH disparity) in a large, multi-hospital academic health system in the Northeastern United States. A secondary objective will be to determine factors that positively and negatively affect the ability of a program to accurately capture underlying SDOH disparities and improve health outcomes.
Methods: Directors from 17 hospitals within the health system will be interviewed using a standardized survey and structured interview. Questions about topics such as the screening setting, screening administrators, and which SDOH domains are screened for will be asked.
Preliminary Results: Not available.
Expected Outcomes and Significance: This investigation aims to holistically characterize SDOH screening programs in a hospital setting and highlight their distinguishing attributes. This may allow for better contextualization of SDOH data collected across different institutions, leading to a better understanding of disparities across larger populations. Well contextualized data will also strengthen disparity-influenced decision making and allow providers to better leverage public sector and industry social services to address health inequities.
Comments
Presented at the 2024 Jefferson Health Equity and Quality Improvement (HEQI) Summit.