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IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING SOCIAL NEEDS IN PRIMARY CARE SETTINGS

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are widely recognized as having an important impact on health and
mortality,1 and there is now strong evidence of the benefits of addressing people’s unmet social needs.
For example, ensuring access to healthy foods and providing
supportive housing for people facing homelessness have been
found to lower healthcare utilization and costs.2 In addition, there
is emerging evidence that screening for and attempting to address
unmet needs within a primary care setting can improve patient
health.3 In response to this growing body of evidence, primary care
practices and health systems are increasingly integrating formal
screening for social needs into clinical care services.

Keywords 
social needs primary care SDOH social determinants of health

Practice Transformation Under the University of Colorado's Primary Care Redesign Model

Author/s: 
Smith, P.C., Lyon, C., English, A.F., Conry, C.

PURPOSE:

We compared the transformation experience of 2 family medicine practices that implemented the Primary Care Redesign (PCR) team-based model to improve access, quality, and experience without increasing cost. The University of Colorado's A.F. Williams Family Medicine clinic (pilot practice) implemented the model in February 2015, and a smaller, community-based practice (wave 2 practice) did so 2 years later, in February 2017.

METHODS:

The PCR model increased the ratio of medical assistants to clinicians from about 1:2 to 2.5:1 while expanding the role of the medical assistants, through enhanced rooming procedures, in-room support (eg, scribing), postclinician wrap-up, and in-basket assistance. We assessed access, clinical quality metrics, staffing costs, and clinician and staff experience and burnout for at least 7 months before and 42 months after the intervention.

RESULTS:

In the pilot practice, compared with preimplementation, there were improvements in total appointments and rates of hypertension control, colorectal cancer screening, and most diabetic quality metrics. In the wave 2 practice, total appointments increased slightly when clinicians were added pre-PCR and then increased substantially after implementation; initially variable hypertension control improved rapidly after implementation. The wave 2 practice's colorectal cancer screening improved gradually, then accelerated postimplementation, while diabetic metrics initially remained stable or declined, then improved postimplementation. New patient appointments began to increase for both practices in late 2015, but grew faster in the pilot practice under PCR. Over time, all experiential domains improved for clinicians; most remained stable for staff. Clinician burnout was reduced by at least one-half in both practices except during low staffing periods, which also adversely affected staff. After a ramp-up period, the number of staff hours per visit remained stable.

CONCLUSIONS:

The PCR model is associated with simultaneous improvements in quality, access, and clinician experience, as well as reductions in burnout, while maintaining staffing costs.

Keywords 
quality of care MA Clinicians
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