Investing In Interventions That Address Non-Medical, Health-Related Social Needs
On April 26, 2019, the Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine held a public workshop to explore the potential effects of addressing non-medical, health-related social needs on improving population health and reducing health care spending in a value-driven health care delivery system. The presentations and discussions highlighted in a Proceedings of a Workshop were released on August 19. They provide a general discussion of the issues, trends, and opportunities and challenges of investing in interventions that address patients’ non-medical, health-related social needs. While health care services are essential to health, there is growing recognition that social determinants are important influences on population health. Supporting this notion are estimates that while health care accounts for some 10-20% of the determinants of health, socioeconomic factors and factors relating to the physical environment are estimated to account for up to 50%. Challenges at the individual level include housing quality, food insecurity, limitations in access to transportation, and lack of social support. The Proceedings can be obtained here.
Joint Commission Educational Campaign On Preventing Falls
The Joint Commission in July 2019 debuted its new Speak Up to Prevent Falls campaign featuring free, downloadable educational materials in English and Spanish to help educate patients and their health care providers on how to avoid unnecessary falls. Ready-made, easy-to-read resources include: an infographic poster/flyer for patients and their families, an animated video to incorporate in hospital programming, and a distribution guide with recommendations on how health care organizations can use and distribute the materials to patients and their families, caregivers, and advocates. Hundreds of thousands of patients fall in hospitals every year and 30-50% of these patients sustain an injury. Between 50-75% of elder patients suffer from a nursing home fall each year. Of these multiple falls: one out of five cause a serious injury such as broken bones or head injury, with the overall average cost for a fall injury totaling about $14,000. Speak Up to Prevent Falls outlines how to prevent falls and offers four primary areas of direction that patients, their caregivers, and advocates can follow to prevent the risk of falls. More information about the program can be obtained here.
A New Proposed Fix For Long-Term Care
As Americans live longer, more and more families are caring for older adults and facing tough financial circumstances that give rise to a bigger question: How will this nation care for a growing number of older individuals with complex needs once they can no longer take care of themselves? So far, there is not any good answer. With smaller families and half reporting no savings at all, many 60-year-olds simply don’t have the necessary resources to pay for the care they will need during the additional 23 years they are expected to live. Refusing to continue to be stymied by this vexing issue, as a means of answering that important question, Milbank Memorial Fund President Christopher Koller and John A. Hartford Foundation President Terry Fulmer in a paper published on June 25, 2019 highlight an innovation in Washington state that merits national attention. Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed a first-in-the-nation bill to help finance the long- term care needs of all the state’s residents. It’s a solution that may provide a template for other states, and possibly the federal government. New public policies are needed because the private market has failed. Long-term care insurance tends to be highly expensive and has limited benefits. In 2016, of the 89 million individuals in the United States over age 55, only about seven million were covered by long-term care policies and far fewer are buying new policies now than they used to do so previously. The paper can be obtained here.
CHALLENGES INVOLVED IN DOING THE RIGHT THING
Indicates the importance of providing appropriate health care based on accurate diagnoses. Read More
PRESIDENT’S CORNER—ASAHP MEMBER FOCUS
Susan Hanrahan offers her thoughts on the upcoming ASAHP Annual Conference, the Institutional Profile Survey, and other relevant activities of the Association. Read More
ACCELERATED PACE ON CAPITOL HILL
Describes legislation involving the budget, appropriations, the health workforce, along with telehealth and rural health proposed initiatives. Read More
HEALTH REFORM DEVELOPMENTS
Discusses efforts to enhance quality care in hospitals and the potential impact of reimbursing at Medicare rates on the health insurance exchanges. Read More
DEVELOPMENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Summarizes recent activity by the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, and repeal of the “Gainful Employment” regulation. Read More
QUICK STAT (SHORT, TIMELY, AND TOPICAL)
Aerobic Activity And Time Spent On Sedentary Behavior Among U.S. Adults
Unintentional Injury And Death Rates In U.S. Rural And Urban Areas
Achieving Better Health Care Integration Of Radiology
Manufacture Of Thread-Based Transistors For A Wide Range Of Health Applications Read More
AVAILABLE RESOURCES ACCESSIBLE ELECTRONICALLY
Investing In Interventions That Address Non-Medical, Health-Related Social Needs
Joint Commission Educational Campaign On Preventing Falls
A New Proposed Fix On Long-Term Care Read More
GAP BETWEEN WHAT IS SAID BY PROVIDERS AND HEARD BY PATIENTS
Mentions how health professionals and patients may not always have the same amount of understanding of statements involving treatability. Read More
ASSESSMENT OF ADULT COMPETENCIES
Refers to data from the National Center for Education Statistics on the topic of adult literacy. Read More