Conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play — things like housing instability, access to healthy foods, and community violence — significantly affect their health risks and outcomes. Hospitals recognize and work hard to address these conditions, often referred to as the social and environmental determinants of health, with a focus on eliminating disparities in care delivery and health outcomes. The community care programs offered by hospitals and their partners, however, may only scratch the surface of deeper social factors that affect individual health outcomes. More focused state and federal policies will be required if progress is to be made in mitigating people’s health care risks before they become critical care needs.
About Community Care
OSHPD Guidance Available for Hospital Supplier Diversity Reports Due on July 1
The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) recently posted guidance and suggested templates for hospitals, which must annually submit a report to the office on their minority, women, LGBT, and disabled veteran business enterprise procurement efforts. The first supplier diversity report is due July 1. Hospitals can request a 30-day extension for reporting and may email their request to [email protected]