How Health Care And Community-Based Human Services Organizations Are Partnering for Better Health Outcomes

While the headlines focus on the latest twists and turns of health care politics and policies, a tectonic shift is happening in America’s approach to health, with innovations that show promise in terms of better outcomes, better quality of care, and lower costs. Health care organizations and community-based providers of human services are now collaborating to address the crucial social—as well as the clinical—determinants of health. This movement recognizes the important role that factors like housing, food security, education, employment, and so forth play in the overall well-being of people and communities. It takes into account the costs of failing to address these factors, such as the impact of homelessness on emergency department (ED) usage. And it has been accelerated by developments like the Affordable Care Act and new payment and delivery models, such as accountable care organizations and value-based contracting. This year, as part of its ongoing efforts to build a Culture of Health in communities across the country, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation supported an effort to get a clear and current picture of this dynamic landscape—to capture, analyze, and share widely what kinds of partnerships exist among which partners, what’s working well, and what could work better. The Partnership for Healthy Outcomes, which includes Nonprofit Finance Fund, the Center for Health Care Strategies, and the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities reached out to partner...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - Category: Health Management Authors: Tags: Featured GrantWatch Organization and Delivery Population Health Center for Health Care Strategies community-based organizations Health Philanthropy human services organizations Nonmedical Determinants Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Soc Source Type: blogs