Strategies to Integrate the Practice of Social Emergency Medicine Into Routine Patient Care

Abstract

The Research to Practice column focuses on improving the research critique skills of advanced practice providers and to assist with the translation of research into practice. In this issue, we discuss the findings of a 2-phase, mixed-methods feasibility investigation conducted by A. S. Wallace et al. (2020) that developed and evaluated a screening process to identify social needs/risks for emergency department (ED) patients and connect them to community-based resources upon discharge. The results revealed that patients with identified social needs and referred to community resources tended to utilize the ED more than those without needs. This suggests the need for EDs to implement a standardized screening tool for social determinants of health (SDOH) on all ED patients for improved patient outcomes. Findings also highlighted a need for EDs to provide staff training and competence in the areas of patient communication and SDOH.

Enriching Real-world Data with Social Determinants of Health for Health Outcomes and Health Equity: Successes, Challenges, and Opportunities

“…Rather, those fields must be made an integral part of clinical workflow [44] and SDoH documentation must be incentivized with institutional policies and procedures [32]. Moreover, clinicians should be specifically trained to establish the empathy and trust necessary to collect this sensitive information from their patients [45]. Screening for social needs probes potentially stigmatizing aspects of individuals' lives (e.g., poverty and racism), leading to potential harms through trauma, discrimination, or legal consequences.…”