Journal of general internal medicine
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Health care systems are increasingly partnering with community-based organizations to address social determinants of health (SDH). We established a program that educates and connects patients with SDH needs at a primary care clinic to community services and facilitated referrals. ⋯ Our findings suggest that screening clinic patients for SDH, and educating and connecting them to community services during post-hospital care may be associated with reductions in hospital readmissions.
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Identification of persons experiencing homelessness (PEH) within healthcare systems is critical to facilitate patient and population-level interventions to address health inequities. ⋯ Commonly utilized methods of identifying PEH within healthcare systems may underestimate the population and introduce reporting biases. Recognizing alternate identification methods may more comprehensively and inclusively identify PEH for intervention.
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Hispanic or Latino populations (hereafter, "Latinos") are a rapidly expanding U.S. demographic and have documented inequities in preventable diseases and conditions. Many Latinos reside in ethnic enclaves, and understanding the context and healthcare accessibility within these places is critical. ⋯ This study highlights several neighborhood structural disadvantages within Latino enclaves, including higher poverty, uninsured individuals, and crime compared to non-enclave neighborhoods. Moreover, our findings point to the need for interventions aimed at improving healthcare accessibility particularly within socioeconomically disadvantaged Latino enclaves. Addressing these inequities demands multifaceted approaches that consider both social and structural factors to ensure equitable healthcare access for Latino populations.
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Direct Care Hospitalist Services (DCHS) can increase internal medicine (IM) sub-internship rotation availability while providing hospitalists additional teaching opportunities. ⋯ Sub-interns were highly satisfied with DCHS sub-internship. Future work will target gaps in preparedness for urgent patient care issues.