SDoH – Social Determinants of Health

Awareness in the healthcare arena for SDoH (Social Determinants of Health) showed up in the AMA revamped the E/M codes for the office/clinic setting in 2021. It was introduced to medical coders as an added bullet in the risk category for moderate MDM (Medical Decision Making).

The Harris County Medical Society maintains a dedicated page of Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) resources. These tools help clinicians screen for and identify SDoH-related needs, particularly within underserved patient populations.

In addition, for coders, auditors, and clinical documentation integrity professionals, these resources establish a clear framework for what should appear in the medical record to support accurate ICD‑10‑CM diagnosis coding and CPT procedure reporting related to SDoH.

These resources also outline the clinical documentation elements required to support accurate ICD‑10‑CM diagnosis coding and CPT procedure reporting related to SDoH.

Economic Instability

Food Insecurity
Housing
Employment
Transportation
Trouble Paying for Prescription(s)

Education Access and Quality

Opportunities for Trade School or Higher Education
- Financial Aid
- Help paying for books, clothes, supplies, transportation

Healthcare Access and Quality

Medical
Mental
Dental
End of Life

Neighborhood and Built Environment

Housing, Temporary Shelter, Maintenance and Repairs

The AAFP (American Academy of Family Physicians) has created a resource page where you can plug in your zip code to find financial assistance, food pantries, medical care, and other free or reduced-cost help in your area.

Neighborhood Help Graphic

Social and Community Context

Family and Social Support
Personal Safety
Partner Violence

This is a very basic overview of the SDoH. To get a better understanding, I encourage everyone to click around on the HCMS SDoH page, and visit the AAFP – Neighborhood Help Navigator. It is very interesting to see the variety of help programs available by zip code.