Connecting Residents with Critical Resources
HSX, under a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, is developing a web-based platform for connecting residents with social services that can keep them healthy, keep them engaged in their community and help them remain at home as they age.
HSX, along with the other Pennsylvania Health Information Exchanges (HIEs), will join the collaborative effort between state agencies, counties, and local non-profits and community organizations, healthcare, and social services providers to create an integrated platform for care coordination. This platform will serve as a system to screen residents for needs that impact their ability to thrive, such as childcare, transportation, nutritional support, housing insecurity and many other needs related to social determinants of health (SDOH).
Categories of available services will include:
- Medical Access/Affordability
- Transportation
- Food Insecurity
- Housing Insecurity
- Homelessness
- Financial Strain
- Clothing
- Utilities
- Employment
- Childcare
Once needs are identified, residents may be referred to Community Based Organizations (CBOs) that can provide needed services, and CBOs will be able to “close the loop” with the person making referrals so they know the resident received services. CBOs will have access to the site for free and will be able to use the platform to demonstrate their community impact to their funders. This platform will also be available to the general public so that residents can identify available services for themselves or their families.
This grant was awarded to four Pennsylvania HIEs who are now working together to select a single vendor that allows interoperability and integration with stakeholders throughout the state. HSX’s grant has listed more than 50 regional healthcare providers, payers and CBOs as seeking to integrate with the statewide system. The new platform is expected to be in production in 2023.
For more information, please contact HSX Member Services at memberservices@healthshareexchange.org.