Hospice News June 27, 2022
Individually, palliative care and social determinants programs both have the potential to improve quality of life and reduce costs — but that potential may be greater when the two are combined.
Social determinants are non-medical needs that can have a significant impact on the trajectory of patients’ health, such as nutrition, transportation, social or caregiver support, and housing, among others. Social and economic factors like these drive 40% of health outcomes, according to the Better Medicare Alliance.
With the care model’s focus on patients’ goals and quality of life, palliative care providers may be uniquely suited to assess those needs, according to Terri Maxwell, general manager, chief clinical officer, and co-founder of Turn-Key Health, a CareCentrix company.
“The interdisciplinary nature...