A hospital social needs index would help hospitals collaborate to address social needs and health equity

In response to a recent Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed rule for inpatient and long-term hospitals related to health equity, hospital stakeholders are ramping up efforts to build health equity into their core functions and considering what’s needed to do so operationally. The importance of addressing the social determinants of health (SDOH) to improve population health is front and center in these efforts.