Physicians Practice April 26, 2019
Jennifer Frank, MD

My organization, like many others engaged in population health, is focused on identifying, documenting, and addressing social determinants of health (SDOH). SDOH are things like food insecurity or homelessness that can directly impact patients’ health. The Center for Disease Control’s Healthy People 2020 grouped SDOH into five categories: Education, Health and Health Care, Economic Stability, Neighborhoods, and Social and Community Context. Although I am a primary care doctor, I do not routinely ask about most of these areas, other than health and healthcare. Even then, my focus is myopic and fixed on things like family health history and medication allergies.

Think about the following questions about SDOH and consider when you last asked a patient about them.

Are you...

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Topics: Equity/SDOH, Health System / Hospital, Patient / Consumer, Physician, Provider
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