How SDOH Data Interoperability, Standards Advance Health Equity
ONC will focus on social determinants of health data interoperability and standards to bolster data exchange for health equity and improved outcomes.
Social determinants of health data interoperability is key in the pursuit of health equity, according to a new post from ONC’s Health IT Buzz blog written by Jawanna Henry and Samantha Meklir.
Henry and Meklir noted that social determinants of health are environmental, social, and economic conditions that affect health and quality-of-life outcomes.
“Addressing inequities in these conditions, driven in large part due to the root causes of poverty and racism, can be supported in part through the collection, documentation, reporting, access and use of social determinants of health data,” Henry and Meklier explained.
“This data can be used to help identify and eliminate health disparities and to improve health outcomes at an individual and population level,” they continued.
The authors outlined ONC’s four focus areas to improve the use of social determinants of health data for health equity: standards and data, policy, infrastructure, and implementation.
Standards and data
Alongside federal partners and other healthcare stakeholders, ONC advances social determinants of health data exchange by steering the development, dissemination, and adoption of health standards.
“ONC awarded a cooperative agreement to HL7 that includes prioritizing and expediting the development and deployment of gap and opportunity areas for social determinants of health (SDOH),” Henry and Meklier wrote.
Policy
The authors noted that ONC informs policy development that addresses challenges surrounding social determinants of health data interoperability and use.
“ONC examines current practices in the field to inform ongoing work streams across all focus areas including updating data collection instruments on health IT and social determinants of health to inform policy development,” the authors pointed out.
Infrastructure
Next, Henry and Meklier said that ONC is working to support state and local governments as they build the necessary infrastructure for social determinants of health data exchange.
Currently, ONC is developing a toolkit that aims to help states, payers, community-based organizations, and other healthcare stakeholders implement social determinants of health data exchange within their communities.
The toolkit will include suggestions for applying health IT standards, infrastructure, and interoperability to ensure social determinants of health data is accurate, actionable, and easy to access.
Implementation
Lastly, the authors said ONC is focusing on care delivery innovation using health IT standards and tools for the integration of social determinants of health data into clinical workflows.
ONC is exploring electronic data tagging capabilities, as well as clinical guidelines that use social determinants of health data for clinical decision support. The agency is also exploring ways to exchange health data more accurately and equitably, especially in disadvantaged communities.
Henry and Meklier said that ONC’s approach to data exchange will shine a light on the use of social and health data, such as the adoption of standards focused on social determinants of health.
Additionally, they predicted ONC’s work will aid the spread of health IT best practices and tools to support community infrastructure.
The authors also said that ONC’s pursuit of health equity will lead to person-centered policies and successful health IT implementation using social determinants of health data as an integral part of the care delivery process, including social care referrals and clinical decision-making.
“Advancing the use and interoperability of social determinants of health data is important to improve the health and well-being of all individuals and communities,” Henry and Meklier wrote.