Social Determinants of Health: LEVERAGING OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY TO ASSIST IN REDUCING HEALTH DISPARITIES
April 17th, 2023
Professionals in the skilled nursing arena are familiar with the Minimum Data Set or MDS. The MDS is a standardized assessment tool used to gather information about residents’ health status and needs. In 2023, we will see the MDS’s revision include adding new social determinants of health (SDOH) to specifically have questions around ethnicity, race, language, transportation, health literacy, and social isolation.
These new SDOH will aid healthcare providers by affording a more comprehensive picture of factors that can impact a resident’s health and well-being. The answers to these questions help identify areas where interventions may be necessary to address health disparities and improve patient outcomes.
