How Do Residents Respond to Unannounced Standardized Patients Presenting Social Determinants of Health?

There is an increased awareness among healthcare professionals to discuss social determinants of health (SDOH) information with patients. However, the awareness does not necessarily translate into effective response to the situation. In order to better understand the nuances in such conversations between patients and providers, we reviewed qualitative responses from Unannounced Standardized Patient (USP) portraying patients with SDOH concerns who were seen as part of a study to investigate healthcare teams’ management of SDOH information. Data from the USP visits indicate that there is a range of attention to and follow up on patient presentation of SDOH needs. Issues of both general communication skills, awareness of connection between SDOH and health, and awareness of local resources impacted provider behavior, which then had an effect on relationship with patients. The complex issues involved in addressing SDOH highlights the diverse training needs of learners.