New research from the University of Chicago Medicine shows patients gain confidence in finding health resources in their community when exposed to an automated community resource referral information system called CommunityRx.
The data, published Feb. 21 in the American Journal of Public Health, suggest the program may have a role in improving public health.
In this study, CommunityRx was used to automatically generate a personalized “e-prescription” called a HealtheRx for patients who visited a primary care clinic or the emergency department. By digitally reading information about the patient in the electronic medical record, CommunityRx connects patients with nearby community resources matched to their health and other needs. A person with diabetes could leave a checkup with a HealtheRx listing nearby places for free nutrition classes and low-cost foot care, while a caregiver who accompanied a person with dementia to the ER could receive information about low cost respite care and free caregiver support groups. Information about resources like food pantries and domestic violence supports were listed on every HealtheRx.
02/22/2019
Study: CommunityRx helps patients gain confidence to find, navigate nearby health resources