Introduction
Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) include sociodemographic factors, physical and social environment, transportation, and architectural barriers as major determinants of health. The CDC’s recent findings show that 50% of health is determined by factors out of the doctor’s office, which highlights the need to address SDoH in healthcare practice.
Nevertheless, healthcare systems have not always collected thorough and up-to-date SDoH information, and, therefore, doctors and pharmaceutical companies are not always aware of the patients’ everyday struggles. This missing point hinders their capacity to remove the obstacles to compliance with treatment plans, attendance of medical visits, and the accessibility of medications.
Why Real-time SDoH Data Is Important?
Information on current SDoH factors, including the patient’s economic status, transportation, housing, and food insecurity, is vital in identifying the obstacles that prevent patients from getting the maximum benefit from the health care system. For instance:
- Treatment adherence: Financial strain may cause patients to skip taking their medication and consequently suffer from their chronic diseases.
- Appointment attendance: Patients who have no means of transport will not attend important clinics which hamper the flow of care and disease control.
- Medication affordability: Knowing the real-time economic data can help in setting the pharmaceutical prices and patient support programs to increase the access and adherence to medication.
Problems with the Current Data Collection Procedures
This important SDoH information is usually missing from the healthcare records. The health care givers have for long relied on the clinical data alone and have failed to consider other very relevant socio-economic factors due to poor data collection. Many current healthcare data sets are missing the SDoH screening, which prevents the identification of the causes of varying health statuses and disparities.
CDC’s Comprehensive Framework: A Guide to Action
The CDC has developed a conceptual framework for SDoH, which is organized into six categories:
- Policy and Law: Ensuring that public policies are supportive and that adverse practices are identified (for example, in housing, education policy).
- Infrastructure and capacity building: Enhancing the capacity of organizations to address SDoH by providing training, enhancing technology, and creating unique positions for housing or transportation.
- Community Engagement: Making sure that communities have a say in the decision-making process so that the problems and needs of the community are well captured.
- Partnerships and Collaboration: Forming partnership with other sectors to tackle multifaceted health issues and sharing information with external partners.
- Evaluation and Evidence Building: Establishing evidence of successful SDoH interventions through research and implementing known best practices.
- Data and Surveillance: Applying sophisticated techniques and real-time tracking and tracking of specific factors in order to gather and use data on the socio-economic status of the patient.
### Practical Solutions: Real Time SDoH Data Integration
Organizations can take the following actions to ensure that they are using real-time SDoH data:
- Work with Community Based Organizations (CBOs): Working with the CBOs may help in offering direct and practical information on the social situation and challenges of the patients and how to address them effectively.
- Use Technology and Data Platforms: Make investments in technologies that can compile information from multiple sources, including transportation, housing, employment, and food security. Tools like the PLACES by the CDC and the Social Vulnerability Index can also assist providers in identifying rapid community-level vulnerabilities and responding to them appropriately.
- Implement the CDC Gravity Project Framework: Ensure the integration of SDoH screening into the EHRs using standardized data collection protocols (such as the Gravity Project standards). This enables the identification of the people in need and implement strategies such as medication assistance programs or transportation vouchers on a real time manner.
- Apply Data Visualization and GIS Mapping: The Chicago and Boston public health departments have well employed GIS maps in the community’s needs and resources assessment. The map capabilities can show local barriers to health equity and care providers and pharmaceutical organizations can use them to allocate resources effectively.
### Why It Is Important to Collect SDoH Data in Real Time?
- Enhanced Patient Outcomes: Thus, by removing the actual socioeconomic obstacles in real-time, the providers can greatly enhance the patient’s compliance with the treatments and preventive care plans.
- Cost Savings: Preventive measures decrease the costs associated with rerouting the patient to the emergency department, repeating hospitalizations, and other expensive long term healthcare needs.
- Health Equity: The analysis of the real-time data helps to uncover health disparities and, thus, close health gaps for the affected communities.
- Market Insights for Pharmaceutical Companies: The company will know what the patients can afford, what mode of transport they use, and,, therefore, design better market strategies and patient support programs that will increase the uptake of medicines and the market share.
Conclusion
This paper has argued that it is crucial for healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, and other health-related organizations to have easy access to accurate and up-to-date SDoH data in order to properly address the source of health disparities. Using the frameworks provided by the CDC and forming good cooperation with the mentioned organizations brings better healthcare and better health for the affected populations.
It is time to integrate and use the real-time SDoH data in the healthcare setting to move from a reactive to a proactive approach to health care.