University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
AMIA Annu Symp Proc. 2021 Jan 25;2020:583-592. eCollection 2020.
Addressing patients' social determinants of health via community resource referrals has historically been the primary domain of social workers and information and referral specialists; however, community resource referral platforms have recently entered the market. We lack an account of the process of community resource referrals and the role of technologies within it. Using sociotechnical systems theory, we analyze data from 12 focus groups (n=102) with healthcare providers, and community organization staff and volunteers in Metropolitan Detroit to describe the process of community resource referral. Findings reveal a deeply sociotechnical process including the following steps: assessing patients' social needs; choosing appropriate referral sources; and facilitating connections. We characterize the importance of knowledge and skills, personal relationships, interorganizational networks, and data sources such as service directories in the referral process. Findings suggest that digital platforms may augment referral functions, but should not be seen to replace interpersonal work, relationships, and interorganizational networks.
通过社区资源转介来解决患者的健康社会决定因素，历来是社会工作者和信息及转介专家的主要领域；然而，社区资源转介平台最近已进入市场。我们缺乏对社区资源转介过程及其内部技术角色的描述。我们运用社会技术系统理论，分析了来自底特律都会区的医疗保健提供者、社区组织工作人员和志愿者的 12 个焦点小组（n=102）的数据，以描述社区资源转介的过程。研究结果揭示了一个深度社会技术化的过程，包括以下步骤：评估患者的社会需求；选择合适的转介来源；并促进联系。我们描述了知识和技能、人际关系、组织间网络以及服务目录等数据源在转介过程中的重要性。研究结果表明，数字平台可能会增强转介功能，但不应被视为可以替代人际工作、人际关系和组织间网络。
