Manatt's Deborah Bachrach, a partner in the firm's Healthcare practice, spoke to MedScape Medical News about a report prepared by Manatt Health that found that physicians must first address patients' social needs, such as whether a patient has a home or heat, before they can substantially cut costs and improve outcomes.
In the report, prepared for The Commonwealth Fund, The Skoll Foundation, and The Pershing Square Foundation, the authors explore the effect of social needs on health outcomes and costs of care and identify evidence-based strategies for targeting social needs, improving health, and reducing spending.
"If you have a low-income patient who can't access the care they need because they don't have heat or they don't have a home, it becomes part of the physician's or the clinic's responsibility when it's looking to improve health and contain costs," said Bachrach, who was lead author of the report.
Read the article here.