IT leaders need to enable real-time collaboration between healthcare providers and social services organizations. As healthcare moves towards value-based care, seamless data exchange and cross-sector coordination will become essential for care and cost reductions.
That's what Halima Ahmadi-Montecalvo, Vice President of Research and Evaluation at Unite US, must say, will be entering HIMSS 25 weeks. Unite Us is a technology vendor designed to streamline social care programs for greater impact and is located at booth 2216.
Ahmadi-Montecalvo will speak at 2pm on Tuesday, March 4th at Venetian, Level 5, Palazzo J, in an educational session entitled “SDOH Program Design, Technology, Data, Assessment and Evaluation.”
We spoke with her and got expert views on health and social determinants of health and discussed the topic of the session she was about to present.
Q. What are you trying to communicate to participants in the HIMSS25 hospital and health system?
A. Shows how communities can promote better outcomes and maximize ROI by integrating social care into clinical workflows. Our technology enables hospitals and healthcare systems to not only identify social needs, but also efficiently address them through a unified, accountable network of unified health and social care providers.
Health systems already recognize the important impact of social determinants of health on patient outcomes, but struggle to implement scalable, measurable systems. Unite Us Us Bridges fills the gap by: Social care is implanted into clinical surgery. Allow providers to create real-time, secure, closed-loop referrals. Track the intervention. Measure the impact of services on health outcomes.
By leveraging data-driven insights, hospitals can reduce avoidable emergency department visits, reduce readmission rates, and improve chronic disease management.
Working with partners in the North Carolina Medicaid, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and the first 1,000-day Suncoast Initiative at the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare System, we highlight how communities can use our technology to create sustainable coordination networks that connect community members to local members while ensuring housing, food security, transportation and community-based organizations.
By demonstrating real-world impacts, we show how health systems can expand their efforts, achieve value-based care goals, and improve health outcomes for both individuals and communities on a large scale.
The broader message is clear. Healthcare solutions require cross-hospital co-partnerships with technology that serve as key enablers of this collaboration.
Q. Which technology do you think will dominate this year with HIMSS25?
A. Interoperability remains a key priority as health systems seek seamless integration with external partners, including social services organizations. True interoperability goes beyond one-way data sharing. This requires real-time cross-sector communication that enables healthcare providers to safely track services that patients can measure and impact on their health outcomes.
This level of connectivity is essential to addressing SDOH in a meaningful and scalable way.
Artificial intelligence and predictive analytics are transforming healthcare by enabling previous identification of high-risk patients and promoting aggressive, targeted interventions. As health systems face increasing cost pressures and labor shortages, these sophisticated insights optimize resources, improve care coordination, and ensure that patients receive timely support for both medical and social needs.
Furthermore, data-driven health IT systems redefine how providers measure the value of social care. By acquiring the impact of services such as housing, food aid, and transportation on patient health and overall health costs, these technologies empower health systems to make informed, ROI-driven decisions.
It unites US equipment providers with the tools and insights needed to integrate social care into clinical operations, reduce barriers to care, and improve health outcomes for all individuals.
Q. What advice can you provide to CIOs and other IT leaders and workers participating in HIMSS25?
A. HIMSS25 CIOs and IT leaders need to prioritize technologies that enable real-time collaboration between healthcare providers and social service organizations. As the industry shifts to value-based care, seamless data exchange and cross-sector adjustments are essential to improving and reducing costs.
Investing in interoperable systems that promote safe, closed-loop referrals and track social care interventions is key to delivering large-scale person care.
Another important focus is leveraging data and analytics to drive decision-making. Actionable insights can help you identify gaps in care, optimize resource allocation, and measure the impact of social care investments. Real-world examples such as The Healthy Components Pilot and the Maternal and Child Health Program at the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System show how technology-driven social care coordination can lead to improved community health outcomes.
By embracing these innovations, CIOs and IT leaders can build a more connected, efficient and sustainable healthcare ecosystem.
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Healthcare IT News is a publication of HIMSS Media
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