The Emergence of Social Determinants in Healthcare

Healthcare providers (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, hospitals) contribute to the growth of an economy. In many cases, hospitals are the largest employers in their communities. Healthcare jobs are often high paying, high technology jobs. They directly contribute 18 percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. This research is about an emerging phenomenon in healthcare that indirectly impacts an economy by keeping patients healthy and out of expensive hospital beds and emergency rooms. What good do the best and most expensive doctors, hospitals, medicines and medical devices do if the patient is homeless, has no transportation, lives in a crime-ridden neighborhood, has no education, no job, and is food insecure. This phenomenon is known as Social Determinants of Healthcare and is a force that impacts an economy.