In December 2011, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released survey findings indicating that 85 percent of primary care doctors surveyed feel it is as important to address patients’ social needs as it is to treat their medical conditions. Overwhelmingly, they wish they had greater capacity to eliminate social barriers to their patients’ health—things like access to nutritious foods, housing assistance, and reliable transportation—and want the ability to write prescriptions to connect patients with such resources.
To continue this important conversation—and identify solutions to bridge the gap between medical care and social needs—the Foundation invites you to participate in a national discussion with prominent health care leaders. This webinar, taking place April 5, 2012 (1:30-2:30 p.m. ET), will explore:
- Possibilities for health care professionals to connect patients to needed resources in the community that can improve their health.
- The business case for physicians, clinics, and hospitals to bridge the gap in treating medical and social needs.
Jane Isaacs Lowe, senior program officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and team director of the Vulnerable Populations Portfolio, will moderate the discussion featuring the following panelists:
- Rebecca Onie, co-founder and CEO of Health Leads
- Dr. Kavita Patel, managing director for clinical transformation and delivery, Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform, Brookings Institution, and RWJF Clinical Scholar alumna
- Dr. David Labby, director of clinical learning and support, CareOregon
Register for the webinar, “Health Care’s Blind Side: Exploring Solutions to Address Social Needs.”