Making The Connection Between Health Care Costs & Social Support Services

Last month, my colleague Athena Mandros put a spotlight on the social determinants of health, which is the concept that there are “conditions in the environments in which people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks” – see The Social Service Factor In The Health Care Value Equation. These social factors – lifestyle, education, and environment – are likely responsible for as much as 40 percent of health outcomes (see Addressing Patients’ Social Needs: An Emerging Business Case for Provider Investment). This premise is illustrated by . . .