In this post, we continue to discuss the latest features of the upcoming ACG System version 13.0, specifically Social Need Markers and ACG GeoHealth. These additions to the ACG System are geared toward identifying a population that needs assistance to improve health outcomes. Having access to medical care is a critical need, but that alone cannot solve all the health problems in a particular population. Read more to understand how the ACG System plays an important role in identifying all the risks that affect overall health, and why your population health strategy approach should include social determinants.

Why are Social Determinants of Health Important for Your Organization?

Where we live, how we’re raised, where we go to school and how we eat – these are the social determinants that shape our lives. These factors play a large role in our overall health and well-being. When the environmental factors that surround certain communities are not entirely positive, future medical issues can arise as a result. ACG System v13.0 considers all these factors and uses that functionality to combine individual attributes into meaningful categories that are relevant for population health. Having this data at hand saves time, money and can elevate the health status of a population.

How did the ACG System Create ACG GeoHealth and Social Need Markers?

ACG System v13.0 focuses on five categories of social need: Social, Education, Health Care System, Economic and Physical Environment. Within those categories, 14 sub-domains further dissect the environment to which a patient is exposed on a daily basis. These domains are developed with the understanding that no single variable or code can fully describe a patient’s social needs. The overall goal is to combine individual attributes into meaningful categories that are relevant for population health.

ACG System v13.0 will give users a full understanding of how populations are impacted by geographically-driven factors. Social Need Markers figure prominently in this new release, helping users understand patients’ individual social and behavioral risk factors. Social Need Markers contains 13 domains that identify a variety of health impacts.

Take a look at the graphic below to learn more about the five Social Need Markers and 13 sub-domains.

For instance, having access to health care is a clear social determinant of health. If a patient doesn’t have insurance, however, they are not able to access that care. They are more likely to have poor health outcomes because of that lack of insurance.

Another feature is ACG GeoHealth, which has the precise ability to consider the neighborhood in which the patient resides. This gives users a critical look at socio-environmental factors. Users can also closely examine individual zip codes or census tracts of a certain population.

The Social Need Markers feature is included with every standard ACG license while ACG GeoHealth is a separately licensed add-on module that links existing ACG output to geographically-driven measures of social need. The ACG GeoHealth feature is not included in a standard license, but can easily be added on for an additional cost .

This new information can help users develop and deploy population health programs to meet segment-specific needs. Whether your population health strategy includes a focus on race, finances, housing or employment status, the ACG System yields important information that can help develop insights and take action.

If you have any questions or want to learn more about ACG System v13.0, Social Needs Markers or ACG GeoHealth, please email us at acginfo@jh.edu or if you are an existing ACG System customer, please contact your account manager.