Headline
This brief shares case studies demonstrating how primary care practices can develop effective community engagement strategies to deliver whole-person care and address patients’ and families’ health-related social needs.
Background
U.S. health care spending continues to rise and patients face ongoing challenges in managing multiple chronic conditions and unmet health-related social needs (HRSN). Whole-person care — delivered by interdisciplinary teams — offers a more comprehensive, patient-centered approach that aligns with individuals’ needs and goals, as well as their cultural and linguistic preferences. This can be achieved through community engagement as it offers an opportunity for providers to collaborate closely with the communities they serve, deepening their understanding of community needs and building stronger relationships to increase trust and partnership.
About this Brief
This brief uses four case studies to highlight strategies that primary care practices can adopt to strengthen community engagement and support whole-person care. These include:
- Identifying community needs through data and community partnerships;
- Forming inclusive and multidisciplinary teams to oversee community engagement activities;
- Securing diverse and sustainable funding to support community engagement activities;
- Maintaining open communication with communities through formal structures;
- Adopting interdisciplinary care models that integrate care and services to address health and social needs;
- Building strong referral networks with local organizations to meet various HRSN needs; and
- Implementing continuous quality improvement through regular evaluation and feedback.
Policy/Program Takeaways
Health systems and providers can use the approaches presented in this brief to design more effective community engagement efforts that can enhance the delivery of whole-person care.
