/ en Wed, 30 Apr 2025 06:06:50 -0500 Wed, 11 Jan 23 09:30:17 -0600 <div class="container"><div class="col-md-8"><p>As cornerstones of their communities, hospitals and health systems play a role in addressing societal factors that influence the health of the patients and communities they serve. Focusing on societal factors benefits patient care and serves as an avenue to meet hospitals’ strategic goals including improving quality and outcomes, reducing costs, and building community engagement and trust.</p><p>The AHA’s <a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/09/SocietalFactorsFramework_Fall2024.pdf">Societal Factors that Influence Health Framework</a> is designed to guide hospitals’ strategies to identify patients' social needs, the social drivers of health in their communities and the systemic causes that lead disparities in health outcomes so all stakeholders can take action around these critical issues.</p><h2>Societal Factors That Influence Health: A Framework for Hospitals</h2><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2024-09/societal-factors-framework-2024.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="Societal Factors that Influence Health: A Framework for Hospitals. Three circles of different sizes with the small circle inside the medium circle, which are both inside the large circle. The large circle is labeled Systemic. Systemic Causes: The fundamental causes of the social inequities that lead to poor health. The medium circle is labeled Community. Social Determinants of Health: Underlying social and economic conditions that influence people's ability to be healthy. The small circle is labeled Person. Social Needs: Individuals' non-medical, social or economic circumstances that hinder their ability to stay healthy and/or recover from illness." width="1683" height="1683"></p><div class="row"><div class="col-md-6"><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/system/files/media/file/2024/09/SocietalFactorsFramework_Fall2024.pdf" download="file" target="_blank">Explore the Framework</a></div></div><div class="col-md-6"><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/news/blog/2020-12-07-addressing-societal-factors-improve-health-equity" target="_blank">Read the Blog</a></div></div></div><hr><h2>AHA Resources</h2><p>Explore AHA’s growing repository of resources to support hospitals and their community stakeholders as they take action to address the societal factors that influence health.<br> </p><div class="row"><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/presentation-resource/2024-12-19-addressing-societal-factors-influence-health-framework-hospitals-and-health-systems"><img src="/sites/default/files/2024-12/addressing-societal-factors-influence-health-presentation-cover.png" alt="Presentation: Addressing the Societal Factors that Influence Health: A Framework for Hospitals and Health Systems cover slide" width="706" height="397"></a></div><div class="col-md-8"><h4><a href="/presentation-resource/2024-12-19-addressing-societal-factors-influence-health-framework-hospitals-and-health-systems">Addressing the Societal Factors that Influence Health: A Framework for Hospitals and Health Systems</a></h4><p><em>*Members Only*</em></p><p>The AHA’s Societal Factors that Influence Health Framework is designed to guide hospitals’ strategies to identify patients' social needs, the social drivers of health in their communities and the systemic causes that lead to health inequities so all stakeholders can take action around these critical issues. Use this slide deck to foster conversations with your team and community about how your organization can make an impact on the societal factors that influence health.</p><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/presentation-resource/2024-12-19-addressing-societal-factors-influence-health-framework-hospitals-and-health-systems" target="_blank">Download the Presentation</a></div></div></div><hr><div class="row"><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/webinar-recordings/2021-06-25-investing-power-teams-address-social-needs"><img src="/sites/default/files/2021-07/hands-image-investing-in-the-power-of-teams-to-address-social-needs-video-6-29-21.JPG" alt="Joining Hands Image" width="383" height="212"></a></div><div class="col-md-8"><h4><a href="/webinar-recordings/2021-06-25-investing-power-teams-address-social-needs">Investing in the Power of Teams to Address Social Needs</a></h4><p>Meeting patients’ social needs is a collaborative effort, which requires engagement of various professions from across the health care spectrum and community. Learn how Regional One Health and New-York Presbyterian Hospital improved health outcomes by leveraging specialized skills of care team members to identify and address the social needs of their patients.</p><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/webinar-recordings/2021-06-25-investing-power-teams-address-social-needs" target="_blank">Watch the Video</a></div></div></div><hr><div class="row"><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/housingandhealth"><img src="/sites/default/files/2021-03/housing-and-health-roadmap-cover-383x49xpx.png" alt="Housing and Health: A Roadmap for the Future" width="383" height="496"></a></div><div class="col-md-8"><h4><a href="/housingandhealth">Housing and Health</a></h4><p>A Roadmap for the Future examines the impact of housing instability on individuals’ health and outlines opportunities and avenues for hospitals to reduce housing instability in their communities. This tool shares strategic considerations for how to tailor a housing strategy to meet community needs and case examples of how hospitals are addressing housing instability during COVID-19.</p></div></div><hr><div class="row"><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/toolkitsmethodology/2019-06-05-screening-social-needs-guiding-care-teams-engage-patients"><img src="/sites/default/files/2019-06/screening-for-social-needs-cover-296.jpg" width="297" height="385" alt="Screening for Social Needs: Guiding Care Teams to Engage Patients cover."></a></div><div class="col-md-8"><h4><a href="/toolkitsmethodology/2019-06-05-screening-social-needs-guiding-care-teams-engage-patients">Screening for Social Needs: Guiding Care Teams to Engage Patients</a></h4><p>Screening for Social Needs: Guiding Care Teams to Engage Patients is a tool to help hospitals and health systems facilitate sensitive conversations with patients about their nonmedical needs that may be a barrier to good health. It is the latest effort by The Value Initiative to promote the field’s work to drive value by lowering cost and improving outcomes.</p><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="https://soundcloud.com/ahahospitals/achi-tvi-podcast" target="_blank">Listen to the Podcast<em><i class="fa fa-external-link fa-fw"><span class="sr-only"><sup>this is an external link</sup></span></i></em></a></div></div></div><hr><div class="row"><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/system/files/2018-04/value-initiative-icd-10-code-social-determinants-of-health.pdf"><img src="/sites/default/files/2022-01/cover-ICD-10-coding-social-determinants-health.jpg" width="385" height="498" alt="ICD-10-CM Coding for Social Determinants of Health page 1."></a></div><div class="col-md-8"><h4><a href="/system/files/2018-04/value-initiative-icd-10-code-social-determinants-of-health.pdf">ICD-10-CM Coding for Social Determinants of Health</a></h4><p>Numerous studies have demonstrated a link between the social determinants of health and key health outcomes. AHA has worked to promote widespread use of ICD-10-CM codes that enable provider to collect data on the social determinants of health.</p><div class="row"><div class="col-md-6"><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/advancing-health-podcast/2019-10-02-using-z-codes-address-patient-needs" target="_blank">Listen to the Podcast<em><i class="fa fa-external-link fa-fw"><span class="sr-only"><sup>this is an external link</sup></span></i></em></a></div></div><div class="col-md-6"><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="https://sponsors.aha.org/HFC-Gen-2020-Coding-Webinar-Promotion_.html" target="_blank">Watch the Webinar<em><i class="fa fa-external-link fa-fw"><span class="sr-only"><sup>this is an external link</sup></span></i></em></a></div></div></div></div></div><hr><div class="row"><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/case-studies/2022-10-04-using-z-codes-improve-health-equity-rural-indiana"><img src="/sites/default/files/2022-10/cover-using-z-codes-to-improve-health-equity-in-rural-indiana-case-study-297.png" width="288" height="372" alt="Using Z Codes to Improve Health Equity in Rural Indiana page 1."></a></div><div class="col-md-8"><h4><a href="/case-studies/2022-10-04-using-z-codes-improve-health-equity-rural-indiana">Using Z Codes to Improve Health Equity in Rural Indiana</a></h4><p>Cameron Memorial Community Hospital, an independent critical access hospital in northeastern Indiana, shares how it embraced the use of ICD-10-CM Z codes to detect and address patients’ social needs as part of the hospital’s health equity strategy.</p></div></div><hr><div class="row"><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/interview/2023-01-12-value-based-payment-support-health-equity"><img src="/sites/default/files/2023-01/cover-value-based-payment-to-support-health-equity.png" width="291" height="376" alt="Value-based Payment to Support Health Equity page 1."></a></div><div class="col-md-8"><h4><a href="/interview/2023-01-12-value-based-payment-support-health-equity">Value-based Payment to Support Health Equity</a></h4><p>AHA’s The Value Initiative summarizes a conversation among two experts, Amol Navathe, M.D., assistant professor, medical ethics and health policy, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, and Mai Pham, M.D., president and CEO, Institute for Exceptional Care, about opportunities and challenges in implementing value-based payment models to improve health equity.</p></div></div><hr><div class="row"><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/social-determinants-health"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/cover-determinants-health-food-insecurity-role-of-hospitals.jpg" data-entity-uuid="3de56c96-7b72-403a-9957-c4effab88869" data-entity-type="file" alt="Food Insecurity and the Role of Hospitals guide cover" width="671" height="868"></a></div><div class="col-md-8"><h4><a href="/social-determinants-health">Social Determinants of Health Guides</a></h4><p>AHA is producing a series of guides on how hospitals can address various social determinants of health. Below are the topics covered to date:</p><ul><li><em>Food Insecurity and the Role of Hospitals</em></li><li><em>Housing and the Role of Hospitals</em></li><li><em>Transportation and the Role of Hospitals</em></li></ul><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/social-determinants-health" target="_blank">Explore the Social Determinants of Health Guides<em><i class="fa fa-external-link fa-fw"><span class="sr-only"><sup>this is an external link</sup></span></i></em></a></div></div></div><hr><div class="row"><div class="col-md-4"><a href="/physicians/SDOH-Main"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Page-1-alliance-issue-brief-care-well-SDoH_0.jpg" data-entity-uuid="273072ce-efe4-436f-a720-9d0c0a8fd769" data-entity-type="file" alt="Care Well: Addressing Social Determinants of Health from Bedside to Boardroom page 1" width="561" height="726"></a></div><div class="col-md-8"><h4><a href="/physicians/SDOH-Main">Social Determinants of Health Curriculum for Clinicians</a></h4><p>To help clinicians address social determinants, the AHA’s Physician Alliance created a web-based virtual expedition to train and equip staff with how-to actions and companion resources. Modules include an overview of social determinants, introduction to upstream quality improvement, and a focus on addressing food and housing insecurity as well as transportation.</p><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/system/files/media/file/2019/03/alliance-issue-brief-care%20well%20SDoH_0.pdf" target="_blank">Download the Issue Brief<em><i class="fa fa-external-link fa-fw"><span class="sr-only"><sup>this is an external link</sup></span></i></em></a></div></div></div></div><div class="col-md-4">.TTaddon1 { border:solid 1px #555; padding:0 10px; } <div class="TTaddon1"><h4>Strategies For Reimagining Health Care</h4><h5><a href="/aha-transformation-talks/">AHA Transformation Talks</a></h5><div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"></div><p>Learn more about <a href="/aha-transformation-talks/ep1-sdoh">Social Determinants: Leveraging the Community and Innovation to Improve Health</a> and download the abstract or framework.</p></div></div></div> Wed, 11 Jan 2023 09:30:17 -0600 Population Health /advancing-health-podcast/2022-06-17-equity-through-precision-heart-care-cleerly-inc-and-lee-health <p>Dr. Leon D. Caldwell, Senior Director, Health Equity Strategies and Innovation, in the Institute of Diversity and Health Equity at the AHA, sits down with Dr. James Min, CEO and Co-founder of AHA Associate, Cleerly, as well as Dr. Richard Chazal, Senior Cardiologist and Medical Director of the Heart & Vascular Institute at Lee Health System. Dr. Min and Dr. Chazal are at the forefront of a new population-based, precision heart care approach that is transforming the historical approach to cardiovascular care by treating the actual disease instead of symptoms. Together, they discuss how this new standard of care ultimately impacts health equity.</p> <hr /> <p></p> <div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/advancinghealth" target="_blank" title="Advancing Health">Advancing Health</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/advancinghealth/review3-cleerlypodcast-associates-advancinghealth" target="_blank" title="Equity Through Precision Heart Care with Cleerly, Inc. and Lee Health System">Equity Through Precision Heart Care with Cleerly, Inc. and Lee Health System</a></div> Fri, 17 Jun 2022 09:16:54 -0500 Population Health /node/681884 <p>In 2018, the Alliance formed a Racial Equity Network (REN) of local and state systems and program leaders and advocates to inspire more engagement about best practices, data collection, and action steps at the systems level. The intent is to create a space in which leaders in the field can exchange ideas and advise the Alliance on practical approaches to addressing racial disparities.</p> Tue, 25 Jan 2022 21:57:45 -0600 Population Health /node/681881 <p>This report aims to strengthen community-driven efforts to achieve health equity by improving the online data tools that make health equity data readily available to them.</p> Tue, 25 Jan 2022 21:48:04 -0600 Population Health /node/681880 <p>The purpose of this tool is to ensure equity* by creating a lens through which each Healthy King County Coalition Workgroup better understands who is impacted by our policies and practices.</p> Tue, 25 Jan 2022 21:43:09 -0600 Population Health /node/681879 <h2>Lessons from Health Care Systems and Local Public Health Departments Working Together to Advance Community Health</h2> <p>Action report on local consortia in two regions delineating pragmatic steps to ensure effective, sustainable cross-sector partnerships.</p> Tue, 25 Jan 2022 21:38:16 -0600 Population Health /node/681878 <p>This video explores the story of collaboration between MultiCare and their community partners to reduce breast cancer disparities in Tacoma, WA.</p> Tue, 25 Jan 2022 21:33:07 -0600 Population Health /node/681877 <p>The Complex Care Startup Toolkit is a practical collection of guides, templates and other tools for new and developing complex care programs, regardless of setting, population or geography. With examples from programs and organizations across the U.S., the toolkit covers program design, program operations, data and process improvement, team and leadership development, community mapping and collaboration, and communication.</p> Tue, 25 Jan 2022 21:16:13 -0600 Population Health /node/681876 <h2>Fundamentals for Nonprofits</h2> <p>Designed for community-based organizations and health care organizations already engaged in partnership, the Partnership Assessment Tool for Health, or PATH, provides a format to understand progress toward benchmarks characteristic of effective partnerships, identify areas for further development and guide strategic conversation. The tool is designed to help partnering organizations work together more effectively and maximize their impact.</p> Tue, 25 Jan 2022 21:12:18 -0600 Population Health /node/681874 <p>This resource provides a step-by-step process for organizing and preparing, planning and prioritizing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating, and sustaining a primary care and public health partnership project.</p> Tue, 25 Jan 2022 21:07:16 -0600 Population Health