IN Brentwood-Baldwin-Whitehall Spring 2020 | Page 9

Creating
connections for
better outcomes
Barriers like not having access to nutritious food, reliable
transportation, or safe and stable housing can cause people
to turn to the emergency department when there may be
better options.
To help combat these issues, the new emergency department at
AHN Jeff erson Hospital, with a generous grant from the Jeff erson
Regional Foundation, established the Front Door Initiative for
Social Emergency Medicine.
With this program, social workers complete a short, free
screening to determine whether patients are dealing with
social or economic risk factors that could negatively impact
their health. Currently, about 60% of patients at the AHN Jeff erson
Hospital emergency department report at least one social
risk factor.
From there, the Front Door Initiative team connects patients to
hospital and community resources in hopes of giving holistic care
and improving health outcomes.
The Front Door Initiative is grateful for the evolving relationships
they’ve built with these community organizations: Lifespan,
Ruby Ride, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, and the
Squirrel Hill Health Center. Together, we can change the lives of
those right here in our community.
1 3
13.7 %
OUT OF
chronically ill
adults is unable to
aff ord medicine,
food, or both 1
The food insecurity
rate in Allegheny
County, higher than
the national average 2
1
Berkowitz, S. A., Seligman, H. K., & Choudhry, N. K. (2015). Treat or eat: food
insecurity, cost-related medication underuse, and unmet needs. American
Journal of Medicine, 127(4), 303–310.
Food Insecurity and Health: A Tool Kit for Physicians and Health Care
Organizations (Issue brief No.KYHK42ZEN 1017). (2017). Chicago, IL:
Feeding America.
2