– Social determinants of health (SDOH) remains development focus for HIN’s SMART on FHIR application. –
ALBANY, N.Y.—In anticipation of New York’s 1115 Medicaid waiver approval, Hixny has released version 2.7.0 of its snapshot application. The newest version offers clinical providers a seamless way to screen patients for social determinants of health (SDOH) using one of the most widely recognized tools available, the Accountable Health Communities Health-Related Social Needs Screening tool (AHC HRSN).
In addition to viewing responses to assessments conducted elsewhere, any provider with access to Hixny can now complete assessments with their patients if they think it will provide additional insight to their patients’ total health. The provider may choose to email or text the assessment to their patient in advance of an upcoming appointment, or to complete the assessment in-office with the patient. Responses are recorded and available to view through Hixny. Since the health information network’s (HIN) snapshot application is available in many major electronic health records (EHR) systems, this is all possible from within a patient’s existing health record.
Currently featuring the AHC HRSN, the snapshot application has the capability to offer any assessment tool. Conversations between Hixny and members of the healthcare community continue to inform the availability of additional tools and future developments—and reveal the value of the new information being gathered.
“Collaboration is how we’ve achieved so much success with our snapshot application,” said Mark McKinney, Hixny’s CEO. “We’ve been developing these tools with the input of those on the front lines so we’re responding to needs based on direct feedback. Our next step is to turn the SDoH data gathered—along with other data points in the patient record—into key insights providers can access at a glance.”
As McKinney mentions, the next phase of development will move beyond straight data delivery and focus on delivery of analysis results. The snapshot application will combine recorded responses from assessments with clinical data from provider EHRs to identify specific actions a provider should consider taking to improve their patient’s total health, such as a referral for social care. This will be displayed prominently within the application, making it easy for providers to act immediately.
“We’re actively working to deliver this functionality, and we plan to make it available later this year,” McKinney confirmed. “Combined with the social referral tool we released last year and the new assessment tool we’ve just made available, providers using Hixny are at an advantage in meeting requirements anticipated to be part of the Section 1115 Medicaid Waiver.”
New York’s 1115 Medicaid waiver will build on the state’s successful DSRIP program, whose aim was to reduce avoidable hospital use and increase value-based payment arrangements for Medicaid contracts. If approved, the 1115 Waiver will extend the state’s commitment to address the social needs of Medicaid members and adopt new standards of care, including the use of standardized screening tools to identify and address SDoH.
“If and when the waiver is approved, Hixny and the providers that use our tools will be ready to go,” McKinney said.
