What should hospitalists consider in addressing social determinants of health?

With 6 million children hospitalized annually, pediatric hospitalists can serve a critical role in improving population health by screening for adverse social determinants of health (SDoH). Children who face adverse SDoH at baseline have disproportionately higher hospitalization rates, and adverse SDoH can also negatively affect children during and after their hospital stay, propagating disparities in readmissions, length of stay, cost, and medical errors. As such, hospitalization is an opportunity to connect families to vital resources, particularly for those with limited outpatient supports (eg, children without a consistent primary care provider).