News: SDOH reporting links diagnosis codes to $9.3 billion in hospitalization costs, study finds

Reported housing instability is linked to higher hospital admission rates for mental disorders, longer inpatient stays, and substantial healthcare costs, according to a recent study published in JAMA Network Open. Between 2017 and 2019, the study found that costs for patients with coded housing instability was $9.3 billion when accounting for hospitalization, length of stay, and cost of admission. These findings highlight the importance of healthcare organizations improving their tracking of housing status and other social determinants of health (SDOH), HealthLeaders reported.

In a review of more than 87 million hospital records for patients 18 to 99 years old, researchers screened for ICD-10-CM codes related to housing instability and looked for associations. They found higher rates of admission for mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as longer hospital stays and high medical costs, were all significantly associated with housing instability.

With increasing attention in healthcare on population health and quality initiatives, many organizations have focused in on SDOH. Capturing such ICD-10-CM codes can impact patient population and increase success in caring for that population, and may become even more important in the years ahead as CMS called for feedback regarding SDOH codes earlier this year as part of the fiscal year 2023 inpatient prospective payment system proposed rule.

Editor’s note: To read HealthLeaders’ coverage of this story, click here. To read the full JAMA study, click here.