MHA, MO PQC Spotlight Hospital Use Of Closed-Loop Referral Tools To Improve Patient Outcomes

The Missouri Hospital Association, in collaboration with the Missouri Perinatal Quality Collaborative, released a publication on the importance of screening for nonclinical social needs and how hospitals and providers can meet these needs by using closed-loop referral platforms and processes.

As of Jan. 1, 2025, acute care hospitals are required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to screen all inpatients 18 years and older for housing, food, transportation, violence exposure and access to utilities. This screening process requires hospitals and providers to connect patients with resources to meet their identified needs.

Health care organizations routinely rely on community-based organizations to address nonclinical factors; however, there is often a lack of awareness of services, coordination, team buy-in and a streamlined referral mechanism to ensure a fully functional closed-loop referral process to support seamless care coordination.

This resource provides some practical examples of how Missouri hospitals and organizations are leveraging social referral platforms and processes to promote health and wellness while reducing the cost of care.