Transforming Surgical Outcomes Unveiling the Power of Data in Social Determinants of Health

Understand how a data-driven approach to analyzing social determinants can provide valuable insights to improve surgical outcomes and tailor postoperative care strategies for potentially millions of patients.

Problem:

A large healthcare system in the Northeast aimed to investigate the impact of social determinants of health on surgical outcomes, seeking to uncover a solution that might enhance postoperative care and recovery.

Live, work, play, learn, worship, age - why are they all a force to be reckoned with?

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, CDC, states there are social determinants that play a roll in our health. In their words, "Social determinants of health (SDOH) are nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes. They are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life. These forces and systems include economic policies and systems, development agendas, social norms, social policies, racism, climate change, and political systems."

When large health organizations are trying to make sense of health outcomes - whatever the specialty - the notion of SDOH cannot be overlooked: it has to be included. Humans are complex, nothing is more clear today than that fact. Therefore, measuring outcomes on treatment type alone does not present us with a complete picture. AI, alongside a thoughtful data strategy, can be used to factor in the 'forces' ensuring data outcomes on health outcomes are as accurate as possible. Luke. (We couldn't resist).

Solution:

We conducted focused workshops, designed user stories, and developed a lightweight proof of concept (POC) that integrated existing patient data with new data fields associated with social determinants of health and surgical recovery.

Our social determinants of health outcomes POC served as an “art of the possible” for identifying the influence of social determinants on surgical outcomes, delivering actionable insights to the health system provider, and paving the way for more equitable pre and post-operative care strategies.

Outcome:

The POC empowered our client to garner system-wide and business support to build a production solution that hopes to optimize postoperative care, and enhance surgical outcomes because they can now take social determinants of health into consideration.

HUMANKIND OF IMPACT

30,000,000 more patients will be poised to receive a more equitable, patient-centric approach to their postoperative care and recovery.

9,000 more people each year will be able to start their new careers in America.

HUMANKIND OF IMPACT