Envision Healthcare Releases New White Paper Addressing Social Determinants of Health, Promoting Health Equity

Envision Healthcare, a leading national medical group, is continuing work to improve health equity by addressing social determinants of health (SDOH). The medical group’s new white paper details how clinicians and healthcare professionals can work together to improve medical care for all patients. SDOH are the economic, political and/or cultural forces that influence the health of people and the communities in which they live. For many people in the United States, external factors have as great of an influence on their physical and mental health as any actionable guidelines for healthy living.

“Social determinants of health affect every person in every society, and their impact on health equity can be positive or negative,” said Sara Champoux, DHSc, PA-C, Vice President of Clinician Value and practicing emergency medicine clinician at Envision Healthcare. “Our clinician-led medical group is working to educate teammates, healthcare partners and stakeholders about these factors and their impact on an individual’s health. We are committed to providing quality care, establishing clinical best practices and advocating for reforms that advance the highest level of health for all people.”

The COVID-19 pandemic brought social determinants of health to the forefront, highlighting, and – in some instances – exacerbating existing healthcare disparities. The higher rates of illness and death among people of color is one example. Moreover, patients in rural communities were also disproportionately affected by COVID-19, experiencing 175 COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 residents compared with 151 deaths per 100,000 residents for urban communities, according to data by McKinsey.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists several SDOH ranging from early childhood development to residential segregation to household income. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has organized these factors into five domains:

1. Health and Healthcare
2. Education
3. Neighborhood and Built Environment
4. Economic Stability
5. Social and Community Context

The white paper explores these domains and includes examples of how medical groups like Envision can address SDOH within each domain.

Envision is committed to advocating for local, state and federal policy changes that address SDOH. This includes supporting the following:

1. The development of and access to health equity measures
2. The efforts to provide additional resources and facilitate stakeholder coordination
3. Improving access to virtual health
4. The transition to value-based care

The full white paper is available here. It builds on the work Envision has done to address healthcare disparities.

About Envision Healthcare Corporation

Envision Healthcare Corporation is a leading national medical group that delivers physician and advanced practice provider services, primarily in the areas of emergency and hospitalist medicine, anesthesiology, radiology/teleradiology, and neonatology to more than 1,800 clinical departments in healthcare facilities in 45 states and the District of Columbia. As a leader in ambulatory surgical care, AMSURG holds ownership in more than 250 surgery centers in 34 states and the District of Columbia, with medical specialties ranging from gastroenterology to ophthalmology and orthopedics. In total, the medical group offers a differentiated suite of clinical solutions on a national scale with a local understanding of our communities, creating value for health systems, payers, providers, and patients. For additional information, visit www.envisionhealth.com.

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