Leveraging Technology and Workflow Optimization for Health-Related Social Needs Screening: An Improvement Project at...

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Clinical Informatics
• Public Health

Background:

• Inconsistent collection of health-related social needs (HRSN) data within a large health system hindered effective patient care.
• A project was initiated to standardize HRSN data collection in the electronic health record (EHR) and optimize clinical workflows.

Purpose of the Study:

• To increase annual HRSN screening rates by implementing standardized data collection methods.
• To improve the capture of social determinants of health within the EHR system.

Main Methods:

• A standard screening questionnaire was developed based on the Accountable Health Communities model.
• Best practices for ambulatory HRSN screening were identified through interviews with multiple health systems.
• Questionnaires were administered via patient portal for ambulatory visits and in-person for inpatients, involving various healthcare staff.

Main Results:

• Ambulatory patient screening rates increased from 0.4% to 15.9% (p < 0.001).
• Inpatient screening rates rose significantly from an estimated 0% to 66 percentage points (p < 0.001).
• Financial resource strain and food insecurity were the most common HRSNs identified.

Conclusions:

• Optimized clinical workflows and technology support effectively enhanced HRSN screening and data collection.
• Key success factors included leadership support, integration into existing workflows, and standardized EHR data capture.