Social factors such as homelessness can lead to higher healthcare costs, more frequent readmissions, and longer lengths of stay for affected patients. But for the first time, hospitals may be able to recoup some of those expenses.
Improving care quality for patients experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness is a challenge for many organizations. Some hospitals have decided that providing housing to those in need can not only help needy patients but also significantly reduce healthcare costs.
A new report by the Department of Population Health at NYU Langone Health sets out a framework for community and population health management plans to guide efforts to address the social determinants of health and improve health quality in clinical and geographic populations.
A case manager has difficulty placing a homeless patient who was admitted for life-threatening hypothermia after spending a bitterly cold night outside.
