Addressing Nonmedical Influences on Health to Transform the Medical Model

When left unaddressed, social support needs such as stable housing, transportation, and caregiver assistance can lead to worse health outcomes and raise the costs of medical care. While many care delivery models for complex patients now include a social service component, little has been done to evaluate the extent to which nonmedical interventions improve outcomes. A promising program at Rush University Medical Center pairs high-need, high-cost patients with social workers, who connect them to community resources and then monitor their progress. To assess this model’s efficacy, the research team will measure changes in health care use, health outcomes, and patient experience following implementation. The results may point to a potential best practice in the care of high-need, high-cost populations. Rush University Medical Center and the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater are expected to provide in-kind cofunding.