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From Screening to Support: Lessons from the Patient Discharge Initiative
August 4 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
This webinar featured leaders from the Patient Discharge Initiative at the Harris Health Ben Taub Hospital in Houston, Texas. Delivered through a collaboration between Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine, this innovative program engages student volunteers in screening emergency department patients for non-medical health needs at discharge and connecting them to community resources.
Speakers discussed the broader implications for health systems seeking to address non-medical drivers of health through innovative workforce and care delivery models.
What Participants Learned:
Building the Program: How the Patient Discharge Initiative was designed and integrated into emergency department workflows.
Workforce Innovation: How student volunteers serve in this setting and the strategies used to recruit, train, and onboard new cohorts each year.
Sustaining and Replicating: Which factors that support long-term success and broader adoption across health care settings.
Lessons Learned: Candid reflections on implementation challenges, operational decisions, sustainability, and opportunities for future growth.
For professionals working in health care delivery, health plans, community-based organizations, public health, or policy, the webinar provided practical insights into operationalizing screening and referral for non-medical needs in one of health care’s most challenging environments: the emergency department. Participants learned how a high-volume, fast-paced clinical setting could serve as a critical gateway for identifying and addressing non-medical drivers of health.
To view slides from the presentation, click here.
