Hospital decision-making and adoption of health-related social needs programs in US hospitals

Hospital decision-making and adoption of health-related social needs programs in US hospitals
JAMA Network Open; by Dina Zein, Cory E. Cronin, Neeraj Puro, Berkeley Franz, Elizabeth McNeill, Ji E. Chang; 6/25
In response to health disparities in the US, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a Framework for Health Equity recommending increased hospital commitment and leadership engagement around screening for health-related social needs (HRSNs). This cross-sectional study found that hospitals with multiple layers of management engagement tended to adopt multifaceted strategies that address patients’ social needs, which are critical components of health equity frameworks. Interestingly, hospitals where only senior management was involved were more likely to offer specific programs like food insecurity and transportation services, although these associations were generally smaller compared with when both senior and other management were engaged.