Social Determinants of Health in Idaho: Evidence Based Models for Bridging the Clinical to Community Gap

The focus of modern health care is changing. Today, it is widely recognized that health care doesn’t just happen at the doctor’s office; it happens in our home, work and school environments, and it is impacted by the socioeconomic context, or social determinants of health (SDOH), in those environments.

Recognizing this, the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health (Foundation) launched the Healthcare Innovation Initiative to bridge the gap between clinical and community services to create business solutions that address this shifting landscape of health care.

SDOH can be addressed through numerous channels in a community, this literature review identifies various programs across the United States (U.S.) that have been implemented and evaluated that can specifically bridge the gap between clinical and community settings and address socio-environmental and socio-economic conditions impacting health outcomes. This report aims to act as a resource and guide in identifying solutions suitable for implementation in Idaho.