Recent advances in our understanding of electronic health record-based social needs screening and documentation in pediatrics

Healthcare systems are increasingly motivated to address health-related social needs, driven by the clear association between social needs and health outcomes, as well as recommendations from professional organizations, quality measures, and reimbursement policies. In “Parent Perspectives on Electronic Health Record-Based Social Needs Screening and Documentation: A Qualitative Study,” we interviewed caregivers of pediatric patients to understand their views on electronic health record (EHR)-based social needs screening and documentation and to identify family-centered implementation strategies. While participants viewed EHR-based screening and documentation as potentially beneficial, they expressed fear that the disclosure and documentation of social needs would lead to stigma and child protective services (CPS) involvement, worry that their children might learn about their responses, and concern that outdated information could misrepresent their current situation and resurface feelings of shame and distress. Some caregivers stated that patient portal-based screening would mitigate discomfort with screening and encourage disclosures of social needs; in contrast, others felt they would be more likely to share information with a trusted clinician during a clinic visit. To facilitate completion of social needs screening, participants emphasized the importance of clear communication and transparency regarding the purpose of the screening and the use of the data. In this progress report, we discuss recent advances in the field published since we submitted our manuscript on March 16, 2023.