EHR tools face challenges collecting social determinants of health

As social determinants of health (SDH) play a more prominent role in healthcare, more providers are looking for ways to incorporate social needs into electronic health records. But documenting SDH alongside other health information in EHRs isn’t so easy, according to a recent study published in the Annals of Family Medicine.

Researchers with Kaiser Permanente conducted a pilot study to develop EHR-based social determinants of health data tools for documenting and summarizing screening results for social needs and making related referrals. They also assessed the adoption of these tools and found numerous challenges.

Documenting SDH could facilitate the adjustment of care plans to ensure better clinical results...