CP4 - Improving Knowledge of Services Provided at the Family Support Center of NYU-LH Increases Ability to Address Social Determinants of Health

Poster Type: Innovation

Category: A. T. Still University

Issue or Challenge: The purpose of this project was to address the underutilization of services provided by the NYU-Langone Family Support Center (FSC). We addressed this issue because we recognized that patients and health care professionals were largely unaware of the resources available at the center. The FSC provides social, educational, and emotional support programs for families, children, and older adults. Increased knowledge and utilization of such services provided by the FSC is of great interest to both the public and the health centers. By educating both medical staff patients, we aimed to alleviate some of the negative social determinants impacting patient health.

Description of Innovation: In collaboration with the FSC, a new informative flyer was designed and printed. The new flyer included a comprehensive overview of the programs offered by the FSC, highlighting the services that address a variation of social determinants of health along with the FSC contact information. Services highlighted in the flyer included the FSC food pantry, insurance and benefit enrollment services, SAFE teen health programs, and many more. 500 fliers were distributed in English, Spanish, and Mandarin, reflecting the three major patient populations served by the NYU Family Health Centers (FHCs). In January 2020, we spoke to physicians about the FSC’s programs to increase referral rate. In February 2020, the flyers were distributed amongst four FHC sites: Family Physician Clinic, Park Slope Clinic, Park Ridge Clinic, and the Caribbean American Clinic. Healthcare and administrative staff at all four sites were briefed on the new flyers and provided with an overview of the services offered by the FSC. Another intent of this project was to ensure the measure would be easily replicable amongst our FHCs. The flyers were given to the staff with the intent to distribute as well as placed throughout the clinic waiting rooms in efforts to increase patient exposure.

Impact or Result: The total population from the four FHC sites with patients that visited the FSC between November 2019 to February 2020 was 29,994. Using a paired t-test, the average numbers of unique patients per month and numbers of completed visits per month were compared in the two months prior to brochure introduction, November-December 2019, to the two months following brochure introduction, January-February 2020 (alpha: 0.05). Unique patients account for each individual patient. Completed visits are the number of times patients were seen in a given month.

Average monthly unique patients at the FSC averaged 1,860 in November-December 2019 and 1,889 in January-February 2020 (p-value: 0.5206). Average monthly Completed visits averaged 2,405 visits in November-December 2019 and 2,493 in January-February 2020 (p-value: 0.2026).

Thus, the data reflects an increase in both unique patient attendance and completed visits at the FSC in the months in which we conducted our initiative.

Replicating this Innovation: In order to increase awareness of the services provided by the FSC, it is important to engage in community outreach and target members of underserved populations. This was effectively accomplished by hosting staff meetings at local hospitals and clinics, where health professionals were educated about FSC’s mission, services, and resources. Gaining the support of local health professionals was critical to increasing local community awareness. In addition, we requested permission from hospital and clinic staff members to distribute informative multilingual brochures to patients. The brochures were placed in the waiting areas of clinics to reach a large patient population.

Author(s):

Shae Patel, OMS-II, Research Lead, A.T. Still University - School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona

Laura Longman, OMS-II, Research Assistant, A.T. Still University - School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona

Patrick Murphy, OMS-II, Research Assistant, A.T. Still University - School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona

Ava Sadeghi, OMS-II, Research Assistant, A.T. Still University - School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona,

Melissa Shafer, OMS-II, Research Assistant, A.T. Still University - School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona

Sarah Nies, OMS-II, Research Assistant, A.T. Still University - School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona

Samuel Grover, OMS-II, Research Assistant, A.T. Still University - School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona

Rachelle Esrail, OMS-II, Research Assistant, A.T. Still University - School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona

Norma Villanueva, MD MPH, Regional Director of Medical Education, A T Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine

Kate Whelihan, MPH, CPH, COPC and Public Health Research Specialist, Department of Public Health, A T Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine

Joy H. Lewis, DO, PhD, FACP, Professor, Medicine and Public Health Chair, SOMA Dept. of Public Health, A T Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine