How 5 health plans are using social determinants of health data to improve health outcomes

There is growing recognition that social determinants of health data are a central piece of the puzzle for the U.S. healthcare system. But while many healthcare industry executives are aware of the impact of social determinants of health on populations, there is no clear direction about how to operationalize its use. Because of this, the eHealth Initiative Foundation and the LexisNexis® Risk Solutions healthcare business hosted the second in a series of roundtable meetings focused on data governance, convening senior executives from across the healthcare spectrum. This discussion produced examples across a variety of health plans of how social determinants of health (SDOH) data is being used to improve health outcomes. The examples articulated by healthcare executives illustrated how it is used to identify the most vulnerable populations and give providers and health plans meaningful insights into the health of their patients.