Code Social: Integrating SDoH into Emergency Resident Education

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health
• Social Medicine

Background:

• Emergency departments are key access points for acute care, where social determinants of health (SDoH) significantly impact patient needs.
• Integrating SDoH awareness into emergency medicine is vital for addressing immediate concerns, preventing future crises, and reducing healthcare system burdens.
• Training emergency medicine residents in SDoH is crucial for providing equitable care and reducing health disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance emergency medicine residents' understanding and recognition of SDoH.
• To develop residents' skills in addressing SDoH within the emergency medicine setting.
• To foster patient-centered care, promote health equity, and identify local resources for SDoH.

Main Methods:

• A multi-faceted curriculum combining didactic lectures, online simulations, case scenarios, debriefings, and community engagement.
• Pre- and post-curriculum surveys assessed residents' confidence, recognition of SDoH impacts, and knowledge of community resources.
• Verbal feedback from residents and faculty was collected for program refinement.

Main Results:

• A survey of 16 residents showed significant improvement in understanding and applying SDoH concepts post-curriculum.
• Residents demonstrated enhanced ability to identify SDoH effects on patient health and increased familiarity with SDoH-related community resources.
• The curriculum successfully equipped residents to provide holistic, equitable care and advocate for health equity.

Conclusions:

• The innovative SDoH curriculum effectively enhances emergency medicine residents' skills in delivering comprehensive and equitable care.
• Diverse educational methods translate SDoH knowledge into practical skills, improving patient-centered care and health equity.
• Further research is needed to validate and refine the curriculum's long-term impact on patient outcomes and health equity.