Screening for and documenting SDOH provides data that can help you and your health care facility advocate for your patients’ needs. For example, providers and health care facilities can:

• Raise awareness of patient needs
• Collaborate with other facilities, community groups, insurance companies, foundations, and national organizations to push for programs, policy changes, or funding to meet needs identified through SDOH data

Advocacy strategies like these examples could either reduce health disparities outside of health care settings or affect patients’ treatment outcomes as a result of health care visits.