Approximately 80% of a person’s health1 status relates to non-medical issues. While the factors typically out of a patient’s point of care significantly impact their overall health, only 62% of hospitals reported systematic or consistent screening of such problems2, leading to diminished health outcomes and a lack of healthcare equity.
These factors, known as the social determinants of health (SDoH)3, are the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, and age. From homelessness, unemployment, and food insufficiency to domestic abuse and social inclusion, such factors prevent a patient from attaining health and well-being at its full potential.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, socioeconomic disparities have become more pronounced, with thousands of people filing for unemployment in the U.S., adding to the financial woes of an already vulnerable population. Therefore, it’s becoming imperative for healthcare providers to effectively leverage SDoH data to promote health equity and community health.
Additionally, an increase in value-based purchasing and at-risk payment models has generated provider interest in improving the health outcomes for populations.
Moreover, when hospitals and provider organizations support patients in addressing their social needs, they can avert the risk of no-shows and reduce costs associated with repeated physician office visits and emergency department use.
Revenue cycle professionals have a unique role in identifying population health trends, reducing provider costs, and ensuring a healthy revenue cycle.
We must ensure SDoH information is documented and reported accurately, with a specific focus on improving ICD-10-CM Z coding for SDoH.
As an end-to-end revenue cycle management partner for leading healthcare organizations nationwide, ECLAT has been helping clients address their SDoH documentation and coding needs.
We are excited to conduct a free-for-all webinar on “Social Determinants of Health in 2021: Healthcare Considerations for the Most Vulnerable” on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, at 1:30 pm EST/12:30 pm CST to share our knowledge and experience on the subject.
Social Determinants of Health in 2021: Healthcare Considerations for the Most Vulnerable