Report identifies 6 practices to improve healthcare for disadvantaged populations
A new report issued by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine identifies six promising practices to improve healthcare for individuals in disadvantaged populations.
With adequate resources, providers can feasibly respond to incentives to deliver high-quality and good-value care to socially at-risk populations, according to the authors. “This report does show that socially at-risk populations do not need to experience low-quality care and bad health outcomes.”
Common themes for success involve care delivered within a system of collaborating partners, mainly composed of medical providers, partnering social service agencies, public health agencies, and community organizations. Six system practices that provide a continuous process to improve healthcare for these at-risk populations are:
- Commitment to health equity: Value and promote health equity and hold yourself accountable.
- Data and measurement: Understand your population’s health, risk factors, and patterns of care.
- Comprehensive needs assessment: Identify, anticipate, and respond to clinical and social needs.
- Collaborative partnerships: Collaborate within and across provider teams and service sectors to deliver care.
- Care continuity: Plan care and transitions in care to prepare for patients’ changing clinical and social needs.
- Engaging patients in their care: Design individualized care to promote the health of individuals in the community setting.
The report's authors stressed that it is possible to deliver high-quality care to individuals with social risk factors for poor healthcare outcomes, such as people who are in a low socio-economic position, reside in disadvantaged neighborhoods, identify as a racial or ethnic minority, or possess limited health literacy.
This is the second report in a series of five that addresses social risk factors that affect the health care outcomes of Medicare beneficiaries and ways to account for these factors in Medicare payment programs.
Cara joined TriMed Media in 2016 and is currently a Senior Writer for Clinical Innovation & Technology. Originating from Detroit, Michigan, she holds a Bachelors in Health Communications from Grand Valley State University.