Guest Post by Nia Zalamea MD FACS
Over the past two decades, we have come to better understand the lasting impact of social determinants on our patients’ lives and health outcomes, often spanning multiple generations. Memphis is fortunate to have a vibrant and robust network of nonprofit and government organizations that address many of these determinants. However, since the onset of the pandemic, the healthcare community has become more fragmented than ever, and the challenges facing our patients and their families continue to grow.
At the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine, our student body remains deeply committed to learning about, learning through, and actively addressing the social determinants of health within the Memphis and Shelby County communities. Prior to the pandemic, more than 1,200 NGOs were actively operating in Memphis. We also recognize the presence of several strong granting organizations and many passionate, committed individuals who are ready to collaborate.
Through this survey, we hope to learn more about how you and your practice engage with social determinants of health. Specifically, we are interested in understanding how you respond once you become aware of a patient’s social challenges, and what resources you utilize to help address them. This survey is designed to gather insights into what you observe in your practice, how you respond, and what tools or partnerships support your efforts.
Our ultimate goal is to use this information to help develop a tool that connects our local ecosystem of nonprofits and community partners with care providers. We greatly appreciate your time and consideration, and we hope that this work will benefit our collective practices and the families we serve. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely, Nia Zalamea MD FACS
901-569-3127
Learn more and participate in the survey.
