Urge Congress to Support the Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2021

The ArHIMA Legislative Committee requests you to contact your Congressional representatives to support the Improving Social Determinants of Health Act of 2021.

This year, one of AHIMA’s legislative priorities has been the increased focus on social determinants of health data. AHIMA believes that public policy must establish global standards that promote the capture, use, maintenance, and sharing of social determinants of health, and that it must further promote healthcare delivery and financing models that are designed to integrate social determinants into the clinical setting. Policy must also enhance the sharing of social determinants across clinical and community-based organizations, prioritize privacy, and promote the ethical collection and use of social determinants. Additionally, public policy must be crafted that embraces the role of health information professionals.

The Improving Social Determinants of Health Act (S 104/HR 379) would authorize the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to create a program to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequities by coordinating CDC social determinants of health (SDOH)-related activities and improving the capacity of public health agencies and community organizations to address social determinants.

We need you to act now! Contact congress and ask them to support and cosponsor S 104/HR 379 to improve the use of social determinants data in our communities.