Title: How U.S. Health Care Providers Are Addressing the Drivers of Health
Source: The Commonwealth Fund
Author: Celli Horstman
With over half of U.S. adults reporting worrying about meeting their social and economic needs, The Commonwealth Fund sought to understand how payers, physicians, and policymakers are attempting to support them. In this brief, they found that nearly two-thirds of U.S. primary care physicians report screening for their patients for a range of these needs, but less than half report coordinating this care with community-based organizations or social services. Even more, two-thirds of physicians fail to screen for financial security, the primary concern of low-income adults in the U.S. With research suggesting that meeting patients’ social and economic needs can reduce the demand for expensive health care and generate savings, The Commonwealth Fund urges for payers, providers, and policymakers to increase evidence-based screening and coordination of care that align with patients’ needs.
