Day Kimball Hospital 1 of 4 in CT to Launch Test Project Focused on Social Determinants of Health

Day Kimball Hospital has been chosen as one of four Connecticut hospitals to participate in a project that will test ways to determine if patients have needs related to housing, employment, food insecurity, and transportation – factors that are not traditionally part of medical care but have significant impact on health – in order to refer them to appropriate resources. The project, called The Connecticut Social Health Initiative, is being spearheaded by the Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) and is funded by a grant from the Connecticut Health Foundation.

“Social factors like access to transportation and healthy foods, income, and environment can have a profound effect on a person’s overall health and the ability to both avoid and manage chronic conditions. As a hospital that serves a rural and economically disadvantaged area of the state, we see the effects of these factors on our patients on a daily basis. We’re excited to be part of a project that could ultimately lead to improved health outcomes for not only our patients, but at-risk populations served by hospitals across our entire state,” said Day Kimball Healthcare President and CEO Anne Diamond.

According to CHA, health experts have found that social determinants of health actually have a greater effect on health outcomes than genetics and healthcare, with social determinants accounting for 60 percent of a person’s health and genetics and healthcare accounting for the other 40 percent.

“Hospitals are in a unique position to assess patients’ needs at the point of care. Testing different approaches will help us learn the most effective ways hospitals can refer people to critical resources, which is the ultimate goal of the project,” said Jennifer Jackson, CEO, CHA. “We are pleased to work in collaboration with the Connecticut Health Foundation and our partner hospitals, including Day Kimball Hospital, on this project.”

The other hospitals participating in the project are Bristol Hospital in Bristol, MidState Medical Center in Meriden, and Saint Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury.