SDoH headlines: A ranking of the most socially responsible hospitals; Patient experience scores on rise; and more

RISE looks at recent headlines concerning social determinants of health (SDoH).

HHS invests $27.5M in women’s behavioral health

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), announced this week $27.5 million in funding opportunities to improve women’s behavioral health across the country.

The funding opportunities aim to expand access to services and improve the capacity of providers to identify and address mental health conditions, substance use, and gender-based violence.

“Ensuring the mental health and well-being of expectant and new mothers is a top priority for the Department of Health and Human Services,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra in a statement. “By funding community-based maternal behavioral health services, we can offer critical support to women and ultimately invest in America’s families.”

The agency also announced nearly $1 million in grant funding awarded to the Services Program for Residential Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women.

Report ranks most socially responsible hospitals

The Lown Institute has released its 2024 list of the most socially responsible hospitals across the country. The report measured the social responsibility of more than 2,700 acute care hospitals and 800 critical access hospitals on over 50 metrics related to health equity, value of care, and patient outcomes.

“Great care is only great if everyone can access it,” said Vikas Saini, M.D., president of the Lown Institute, in a statement. “Socially responsible hospitals are trusted to provide high-quality care to all, and their success directly improves the health and economic stability of their communities.”

Of the total acute care hospitals, 154 received honor roll status, meaning they scored “A” grades on equity, value, and outcomes, and designation as the most socially responsible hospitals in the U.S.

The top 10 most socially responsible hospitals include:

  1. Duke Regional Hospital in Durham, N.C.
  2. Baylor Scott & White Medical Center -- Pflugerville in Pflugerville, Texas
  3. UCHealth Greeley Hospital in Greeley, Colo.
  4. Adventist Health Ukiah Valley in Ukiah, Calif.
  5. UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center in Rio Rancho, N.M.
  6. Suburban Community Hospital in Norristown, Pa.
  7. Cedar City Hospital in Cedar City, Utah
  8. Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
  9. St. Luke's Hospital -- Upper Bucks Campus in Quakertown, Pa.
  10. Sonoma Valley Health Care District (Sonoma, Calif.)

As with previous years, the 2024 report highlighted that many hospitals continue to lack performance in health equity.

“Our rankings show there is considerable room for improvement in social responsibility, even among well-known and typically high-performing hospitals,” Dr. Saini said.

The report noted that though most of the 2023-2024 U.S. News honor roll hospitals were highly ranked on outcomes and value, only two were given “A” grades in equity.

There are hospitals that remain consistent in their efforts to improve social responsibility, with 55 hospitals receiving “A” grades on social responsibility for five years in a row.

Report: Patient experience scores on the rise, disparities remain

Patients across the country have reported improved health care experiences, according to a new report from Press Ganey which analyzed data from 6.5 million patients in the U.S. While overall experience scores have improved, the report also identified several persistent disparities.

“Data holds the key to driving meaningful improvements, helping health care organizations personalize care, address disparities, and create exceptional experiences for all patients,” said Patrick Ryan, chairman and chief executive officer, Press Ganey, in a statement. “Top-scoring organizations in patient experience embrace data-driven strategies to break down silos, pinpoint areas for improvement, and identify what’s working well.”

Key findings include:

  • Patient experience increased in 2023, with ambulatory surgery and medical practices reaching “five-year highs.” However, researchers noted that hospitals and emergency departments have yet to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels.
  • In hospitals, underrepresented populations reported lower scores in empathy, care personalization, and addressing concerns, and scores were even lower in medical practices, with a seven-point score difference between Asian and white patients.
  • Younger patients aged 18-34 have higher expectations around their patient experience, with their “likely to recommend” scores 7.7 points lower than patients aged 65-79.
  • Regions that have “historically lagged behind” are seeing improved scores. AHA region 2, which includes New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, improved the most year over year by 1.8 points. But AHA region 7, which includes Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas, still leads the way, rising by 0.7. Nevada continues to lead in improvement, jumping 2.3 points since 2022.

The full report can be downloaded here.