As patients enter the healthcare system, primary care is typically their first stop. Because of this, primary care clinicians have a unique opportunity to develop relationships with patients and communities. This also enables them to get a glimpse of the hardships that a particular patient or group of patients is dealing with and see how that can affect their overall well-being. As the healthcare system, and primary care in particular, shifts away from a transactional system, to one more focused on high quality, comprehensive care, these outside factors that often play a significant role in patients’ lives must be accounted for.
The CDC defines health disparities as preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations. It defines the social determinants of health as conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play. While several of these factors or locations fall out of the traditional sphere of primary care, a well-organized and coordinated primary care team should have the resources to help patients beyond their medical needs.
Title | Source | Date |
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Legal Promise Of Equal Mental Health Treatment Often Falls Short | Kaiser Health News | June 7, 2019 |
Mini-Biographies Help Clinicians Connect With Patients | Kaiser Health News | June 10, 2019 |
Cross-Sector Collaborations To Decrease Loneliness and Social Isolation In Older Adults | Health Affairs Blog | June 20, 2019 |
Partnership to Improve Patient Health: Value Our Health | June 20, 2019 | |
Medicaid Action, Primary Care Key for Addressing Childhood SDOH | Patient Engagement HIT | June 24, 2019 |
The Gap Between Rich And Poor Americans' Health Is Widening | NPR | June 28, 2019 |
With Rural Health Care Stretched Thin, More Patients Turn To Telehealth | NPR | July 7, 2019 |
For An Option To Address Social Determinants Of Health, Look To Medicaid | Health Affairs Blog | July 8, 2019 |
Engaging Youth To Advance Community Health, Equity, And Safety | Health Affairs Blog | July 10, 2019 |
Black, older patients less likely to use hospital patient portals | Modern Healthcare | July 17, 2019 |