SAEM via YouTube: Addressing social needs, social risk and social determinants of health of patients seeking care in the ED is increasingly recognized as critical in improving the health of structurally vulnerable patients. An important component of addressing these needs will be considering appropriate and standardized interventions based in the ED. Medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) have demonstrated success in addressing social determinants of health and improving health and health outcomes for patients with health-harming legal needs. An MLP is a collaboration between healthcare and legal professionals which can take a variety of forms. Often, an on-site legal aid attorney aids in screening for health-harming legal needs and either referring to or directly providing legal interventions. Screening often utilizes the I-HELP framework, which captures needs related to income/insurance, housing and utilities, education and employment, legal status, and personal and family stability.

There are over 400 MLPs in the United States yet only a handful of dedicated ED-MLPs exist. As many patients who utilize the ED have barriers to routine care, existing MLPs may not be accessible to them despite the majority of ED patients demonstrating health harming legal needs (HHLNs). A HHLNs survey study done at Grady Memorial Hospital ED revealed that 91% of patients had one HHLN with 74% of participants reporting two or more.

In this didactic, we will describe how to implement MLPs within the existing continuum of social services provided to ED patients. We will specifically focus on supporting evidence, study design and scope, implementation, funding, and potential metrics for assessment. The session is aimed at those who are interested in learning more about introducing an ED-based MLP at their practice location. The session will include a panelists of physicians and lawyers with experience developing and implementing MLPs.

Presenters:
Blake Shultz, MD, JD
Dennis Hsieh, MD, JD
Amy Zeidan, MD