Problem: Screening for social determinants of health needs in clinical settings can identify patients at risk due to social factors, allowing healthcare providers to intervene early. By recognizing issues like housing instability, financial stress, or lack of transportation, clinicians can refer patients to appropriate social services or community resources. For example, a healthcare provider might screen a patient for food insecurity and discover they have insufficient access to healthy food. By enrolling the patient in a local food assistance program, the provider can help mitigate the risk of developing diet-related health conditions, which, in turn, reduces future healthcare costs associated with those conditions.
What are the possible barriers to implementing these screenings on a larger scale? For instance, time constraints, provider training, or limited availability of social resources could pose challenges. How might healthcare systems overcome these obstacles to ensure more effective interventions? Provide Scholarly studies to support your answer. Need Assignment Help?