Toward Standardization, Harmonization, and Integration of Social Determinants of Health Data: A Texas Clinical and Translational Science Award Institutions Collaboration

Authors

Catherine K Craven
Linda Highfield
Mujeeb Basit
Elmer V Bernstam
Byeong Yeob Choi
Robert L Ferrer
Jonathan A Gelfond
Sandi L Pruitt
Vaishnavi Kannan
Paula K Shireman
Heidi Spratt
Kayla J Torres Morales
Chen-Pin Wang
Zhan Wang
Meredith N Zozus
Edward C Sankary
Susanne Schmidt

Publication Date

1-9-2024

Journal

Journal of Clinical and Translational Science

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The focus on social determinants of health (SDOH) and their impact on health outcomes is evident in U.S. federal actions by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on minorities and communities of color heightened awareness of health inequities and the need for more robust SDOH data collection. Four Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) hubs comprising the Texas Regional CTSA Consortium (TRCC) undertook an inventory to understand what contextual-level SDOH datasets are offered centrally and which individual-level SDOH are collected in structured fields in each electronic health record (EHR) system potentially for all patients.

METHODS: Hub teams identified American Community Survey (ACS) datasets available via their enterprise data warehouses for research. Each hub's EHR analyst team identified structured fields available in their EHR for SDOH using a collection instrument based on a 2021 PCORnet survey and conducted an SDOH field completion rate analysis.

RESULTS: One hub offered ACS datasets centrally. All hubs collected eleven SDOH elements in structured EHR fields. Two collected Homeless and Veteran statuses. Completeness at four hubs was 80%-98%: Ethnicity, Race; < 10%: Education, Financial Strain, Food Insecurity, Housing Security/Stability, Interpersonal Violence, Social Isolation, Stress, Transportation.

CONCLUSION: Completeness levels for SDOH data in EHR at TRCC hubs varied and were low for most measures. Multiple system-level discussions may be necessary to increase standardized SDOH EHR-based data collection and harmonization to drive effective value-based care, health disparities research, translational interventions, and evidence-based policy.

Keywords

Social determinants of health, electronic health records, health information interoperability, health level seven, translational science

Comments

This article has been corrected. See J Clin Transl Sci. 2024; 8(1): e62.

Supplementary Materials

PMID: 38384919