The Overlooked Drivers of Health: SDoH and Consumer RWE
Your health is shaped by much more than just genetics or medical care. Social Determinants of Health (SDoH)—factors like housing, income, education, and transportation—play a massive role in shaping your wellness. In fact, SDoH can influence up to 80% of health outcomes (National Academy of Medicine).
These top 10 SDoH areas are crucial to understanding and addressing health disparities:
- Economic stability
- Housing stability
- Food security
- Education access and quality
- Transportation access
- Healthcare access and quality
- Social support and community engagement
- Neighborhood and built environment
- Access to technology
- Cultural competence and discrimination
When paired with Consumer Real-World Evidence (RWE)—data gathered from everyday activities, wearable devices, and health apps—these factors offer a fuller picture of the barriers people face and how they manage their health between clinical visits.
For example:
- Missed physician appointments due to transportation challenges lead to untreated conditions and higher hospital readmissions (American Hospital Association).
- Skipped medications because of cost or forgetfulness can reduce treatment effectiveness, contributing to poorer health outcomes (CDC).
- Uninformed use of OTC medications or supplements can lead to dangerous drug interactions, yet providers often lack this vital information (NIH).
How The Owl App Bridges the SDoH and RWE Gap
The Owl App integrates SDoH and Consumer RWE to empower patients and enhance communication with providers. By capturing real-world data, it ensures timely, actionable insights are shared to improve care and drive better outcomes.
Key Features:
- Patient-Reported Insights: Patients can log barriers such as skipping medications, transportation challenges, or using OTC supplements. This RWE allows care teams to address gaps that may otherwise go unnoticed.
- Health Nudges and Reminders: Personalized AI-driven nudges remind patients to take medications, schedule follow-ups, or track symptoms, helping them stay on track with their care plans.
- Educational Resources: Bite-sized, actionable education empowers patients to make informed decisions, such as discussing supplement use with their physician or finding local resources for affordable prescriptions.
- Enhanced Provider Communication: Anonymized SDoH and RWE data can be securely shared with providers, giving them a comprehensive view of their patients’ health behaviors.
Why SDoH and Consumer RWE Matter in Value-Based Care
Addressing SDoH and integrating Consumer RWE isn’t just good for patients—it’s essential for value-based care. Healthcare systems that tackle these challenges see improved outcomes and lower costs.
- Missed medication doses account for 50% of treatment failures and $290 billion in avoidable costs annually (PhRMA).
- Interventions addressing SDoH can reduce healthcare costs by up to 20% annually (McKinsey & Company).
- Providers integrating RWE report 25% better patient engagement and reduced administrative burden (Health Affairs).
The Owl App equips providers to:
- Address skipped medications and missed appointments proactively.
- Monitor patients’ use of OTC medications or supplements to avoid adverse interactions.
- Leverage SDoH insights for personalized care planning and value-based care incentives.
Real-Life Impact of The Owl App
Imagine Sarah, a 52-year-old managing hypertension and depression. Between visits, Sarah skips medications due to cost, takes OTC supplements for joint pain, and misses a follow-up appointment because of unreliable transportation. Using The Owl App, Sarah can log her challenges, receive reminders, and access educational resources to find affordable medication options. Sarah’s physician reviews this data before her next visit, enabling a tailored care plan that includes a discussion about safe supplement use and connecting her to community resources for transportation assistance.
Take Control of Your Health Journey
Social Determinants of Health and Consumer Real-World Evidence are transforming how we approach healthcare. With The Owl App, patients can bridge the gap between visits, stay engaged, and communicate effectively with their providers.
🦉 Download The Owl App today to start leveraging real-world insights and achieve better health outcomes.
