Social Determinants of Health HL7 Implementation Guide

There is growing awareness that SDOH information improves whole person care and lowers cost. Unmet social needs negatively impact health outcomes. Food insecurity correlates to higher levels of diabetes, hypertension, and heart failure. Housing instability factors into lower treatment adherence. Transportation barriers result in missed appointments, delayed care, and lower medication compliance Addressing SDOH is a primary approach to achieve health equity.

As care for social needs has advanced in healthcare, there is an increasing demand to expand and standardize the terminology and information models for social needs in order to:

- Better care for patients with social needs and the populations they live within.
- Collaborate with clinical and community partners.
- Study social needs, their effect on health outcomes, and the effects of interventions.
- Allocate resources toward social risk within value-based care.