SDOH Learning Cohort: Advancing Patient-Centered Data Collection at Health Centers

The SDOH Learning Cohort is a comprehensive online training program designed to assist community health centers (CHCs) in initiating or advancing their journey towards collecting Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) data.

Specifically tailored for CHCs with varied resources, workforce, and engagement, this training is designed to equip health centers with the knowledge, tools, and best practices needed to collect SDOH data effectively. While it is aligned with the PRAPARE Implementation and Action Toolkit, the program is not limited to organizations solely using the PRAPARE framework. Rather, it caters to health centers at any stage of SDOH data collection, including those unaware of ongoing initiatives that can be leveraged to enhance patient outcomes and whole-person care.

The SDOH Learning Cohort recognizes the diverse needs and capacities of CHCs. Its online format allows participants to engage with the training materials at their own pace, ensuring maximum flexibility and making it an ideal choice for organizations with varying levels of resources and workforce availability. The cohort incorporates interactive components such as case studies, quizzes, group discussions, and practical exercises tailored to the specific challenges faced by CHCs. By actively participating in these interactive elements, CHC staff can apply the concepts learned to real-world scenarios, reinforcing their understanding and promoting sustainable change within their organizations.

Moreover, the SDOH Learning Cohort not only equips CHCs with foundational knowledge but also prepares them for Alternative Payment Methodologies and the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal initiative. By leveraging the experiences, best practices, and lessons learned from pioneering CHCs, participants benefit from valuable insights and expertise gained by early adopters in the field. This knowledge is crucial in the evolving healthcare landscape, where organizations are accountable for improving health outcomes while lowering costs. Understanding the whole needs of their communities and addressing the upstream socioeconomic factors that impact patients’ health behaviors, health outcomes, and costs is essential for success in such an environment.

By participating in the cohort, CHCs enhance their ability to address SDOH and improve patient outcomes. It serves as a stepping stone for CHCs, empowering them to deliver comprehensive, patient-centered care that addresses the complex factors influencing health and wellbeing. Through the cohort, CHC staff can enhance their skills, knowledge, and organizational capacity. This includes building the evidence base needed to advocate for sustainable payment systems that support holistic care beyond the medical model and championing policy that facilitates upstream community change. 

The SDOH Learning Cohort offers health centers an opportunity to advance their SDOH data collection efforts, leverage their existing work, and improve patient outcomes. By embarking on this self-paced learning journey, health center staff can enhance their skills, knowledge, and organizational capacity to deliver comprehensive, patient-centered care that addresses the SDOH.

Click here to register for the SDOH Learning Cohort today!