Dearborn Pharmacy Talks about the Pharmacist’s Role in Addressing Social Determinants of Health
The social conditions that shape an individual’s health, such as age and working and living environments are referred to as the social determinants of health. It includes a person’s socioeconomic status, education, social support networks, and access to healthcare. Dearborn Pharmacy believes that addressing social determinants of health is essential for making efforts for the reduction of disparities in healthcare and its improvement.
Today, there is a continuous increase in the number of initiatives that aim to address social determinants of health outside and within healthcare systems. Outside healthcare systems, people in the authorities create initiatives that seek to shape policies and practices in non-health sectors in ways that promote health and health equity. Within the healthcare system, multi-payer federal and state initiatives, as well as Medicaid-specific initiatives focus on addressing a patient's social needs. Dearborn Pharmacy believes that pharmacists can play an essential role in influencing outcomes associated with social determinants of health, which can be done through effective screening and intervention procedures that aim for improved medication adherence and reduced medical costs.
High costs of medications are one of the greatest factors that keep patients from taking their medications on schedule or even filling their prescriptions. Another challenge for patients is limited mobility and an inability to get to the pharmacy to fill or pick up their prescription refills. Also, some patients who come from traditionally disadvantaged social groups or who have limited educational attainment are hindered by impaired self-efficacy in medication management.
Dearborn Pharmacy believes that healthcare providers, including pharmacists, must screen patients for social determinants of health to understand the barriers that serve as hurdles for achieving the best care patients should receive. In addressing social determinants of health, it is also essential that pharmacists collaborate with both physicians and patients to identify low-cost medication alternatives and provide other solutions to the patient’s social challenges.
Today, there is a continuous increase in the number of initiatives that aim to address social determinants of health outside and within healthcare systems. Outside healthcare systems, people in the authorities create initiatives that seek to shape policies and practices in non-health sectors in ways that promote health and health equity. Within the healthcare system, multi-payer federal and state initiatives, as well as Medicaid-specific initiatives focus on addressing a patient's social needs. Dearborn Pharmacy believes that pharmacists can play an essential role in influencing outcomes associated with social determinants of health, which can be done through effective screening and intervention procedures that aim for improved medication adherence and reduced medical costs.
High costs of medications are one of the greatest factors that keep patients from taking their medications on schedule or even filling their prescriptions. Another challenge for patients is limited mobility and an inability to get to the pharmacy to fill or pick up their prescription refills. Also, some patients who come from traditionally disadvantaged social groups or who have limited educational attainment are hindered by impaired self-efficacy in medication management.
Dearborn Pharmacy believes that healthcare providers, including pharmacists, must screen patients for social determinants of health to understand the barriers that serve as hurdles for achieving the best care patients should receive. In addressing social determinants of health, it is also essential that pharmacists collaborate with both physicians and patients to identify low-cost medication alternatives and provide other solutions to the patient’s social challenges.
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