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  • September 2022
  • Technical Note
  • HBS Case Collection

Addressing Social Determinants of Health in the American Landscape

By: Susanna Gallani and Jacob Riegler
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:9
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Abstract

Social determinants of health (SDOH) have gained significant attention in recent years. A growing body of research shows that a person’s health is influenced by a large number of non-genetic factors, most of which operate outside the realm of health care and are directly attributable to socio-economic conditions. In the U.S., clinical and economic motivations have spurred health care providers, health insurance companies, local governments, and community-based organizations to take action to address SDOH. The fragmented structure of the healthcare industry has, on the one hand, stimulated innovation and experimentation. On the other hand, the lack of standardized measures to capture the effectiveness and efficiency of these interventions and the lack of loci to share information about best practices impede the identification and duplication of successful solutions. In this technical note, we describe the main players and their roles in the SDOH ecosystem, as well as the obstacles that hinder the development of successful, large-scale solutions. The note shines a light on the limitations of the current approach and highlights the potential of the U.S. SDOH ecosystem to succeed in addressing these important determinants of population health.

Keywords

Socioeconomic Determinants Of Health; Social Determinants Of Health; Population Health; Health; Health Care and Treatment; Social Issues; Health Industry; Insurance Industry; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry; United States

Citation

Gallani, Susanna, and Jacob Riegler. "Addressing Social Determinants of Health in the American Landscape." Harvard Business School Technical Note 123-023, September 2022.
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About The Author

Susanna Gallani

Accounting and Management
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    Job Design and Workers’ Wellbeing: Evidence from a Hospital Setting

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    The Effects of Electronic Medical Records on Hospital Utilization Costs

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More from the Authors
  • The Effect of Systems of Management Controls on Honesty in Managerial Reporting By: Aishwarrya Deore, Susanna Gallani and Ranjani Krishnan
  • Job Design and Workers’ Wellbeing: Evidence from a Hospital Setting By: Susanna Gallani and Jacob Riegler
  • The Effects of Electronic Medical Records on Hospital Utilization Costs By: Susanna Gallani, Luminita Enache, Xue Guo and Eddie Riedl
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