Trends in Social Risk Screening in US Physician Practices
Author Information
Author(s): Brewster Amanda L. PhD, Rodriguez Hector P. PhD, Murray Genevra F. PhD, Lewis Valerie A. PhD, Schifferdecker Karen E. PhD, Fisher Elliott S. MD
Primary Institution: University of California, Berkeley
Hypothesis
The prevalence of social risk screening would have increased more substantially between 2017 and 2022 among practices caring for a high share of Medicaid beneficiaries.
Conclusion
Social risk screening by physician practices increased substantially from 2017 to 2022, although still less than one-third of practices systematically screened for a set of 5 common social risks.
Supporting Evidence
- In 2022, 27% of practices reported screening for all 5 social risks, up from 15% in 2017.
- The mean number of social risks screened per practice increased from 1.71 in 2017 to 2.34 in 2022.
- Practices with higher innovation culture scores were more likely to screen for social risks.
Takeaway
More doctors are starting to ask patients about their social needs, like food and housing, which is important for helping them get the care they need.
Methodology
The study used a repeated cross-sectional design analyzing data from the National Survey of Healthcare Organizations and Systems in 2017 and 2022.
Potential Biases
Potential misclassification due to reliance on a single practice leader's responses may introduce bias.
Limitations
The study's repeated cross-sectional design may have been influenced by differing practices in the 2017 vs 2022 samples, and the survey-based measure does not provide in-depth insight into implementation.
Participant Demographics
The sample included responses from various physician practices across the US, with a significant portion from practices serving Medicaid beneficiaries.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 23%-32%
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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