Docs for Health

The recent cuts to HHS’s LIHEAP team are alarming. Without staff to administer the program, states will be effectively cut off from energy assistance dollars just as utility shutoff moratoriums expire across the country. LIHEAP helps low-income households pay for heating and cooling — a lifeline for millions, especially those with serious medical conditions. Last year, LIHEAP helped 6.5M with utility bills. In many states, people can avoid utility shutoff if a medical provider (MD, NP, PA) certifies that losing power would worsen their health. These medical certifications are more important than ever — but often underused. If you're a health system looking to systematically identify patients at risk and complete these certifications efficiently, reach out to us at Docs for Health. We can help.

We’re live at a major hospital — a testament to our robust data security.

Congratulations to our newest cohort of equity-focused health care startups and their founders, selected to participate in our Health Equity Business Accelerator in partnership with MassChallenge. Each organization will receive a $50,000 grant along with strategic and mentorship support from Blue Cross and MassChallenge experts. Hear more about the accelerator program in this video, featuring our Chief Talent Equity Officer Michele Courton Brown, and learn about the participating companies here - http://spr.ly/6040LIiHs HT Docs for Health (Dr. RAHUL VANJANI, David Melançon), Rosette Health Gülin Yilmaz),Trans Health HQ (Ivan Hsiao, MPH), Culture Care Collective (Dr. Cynthia Orofo), and Tinted Health (Dr. Rebecca Cesar, DHSc, MS-MHA).

On April 10th, SEG will host our 3rd annual Impact Business Showcase. If you need a dose of optimism, join us!!! These innovative businesses and nonprofits are tackling some of our state’s biggest challenges, from food insecurity to climate change. This is SEG's largest fundraiser of the year, helping us invest in the next generation of entrepreneurs and community leaders shaping Rhode Island’s future. 6 entrepreneurs will pitch for over $15,000 in cash prizes, and 20+ entrepreneurs will showcase their ventures at demo tables. Tickets are only $50 and directly support SEG’s mission—allowing us to provide technical assistance, connect entrepreneurs with funding, and continue running programs to help entrepreneurs scale their impact. Plus, your ticket secures your spot for an evening of great food, drinks, and networking with hundreds of community and business leaders from across the state! Aquidneck Community Table, Dwelly, Boxed in Black, Docs for Health, Keva Health, Farm and Forest Education Center, Social Enterprise Greenhouse https://lnkd.in/gh724gq6

As policymakers consider new requirements for public benefits—such as work requirements for Medicaid—it's important to recognize that ensuring access to these programs isn’t just about eligibility; it's about navigating complex paperwork and proving qualification through the right documentation. The reality is that many people who are eligible for benefits don’t receive them because the system is difficult to navigate. And when requirements become more stringent, those who depend on these programs face even greater challenges in maintaining access—whether that means securing a work exemption, providing medical documentation, or meeting new reporting obligations. At Docs for Health, we simplify this process. By integrating eligibility rules into screening and documentation workflows, we help ensure that people who should receive benefits stay enrolled. Because access to food, housing, and income isn't just about paperwork—it’s about keeping people healthy and preventing crises before they happen. #HealthEquity #SocialDeterminants #PublicBenefits #Medicaid #SNAP

As the head of social services at a Public Defender office and in the government sector, James Lawless, LMHC is acutely aware of how time consuming and overwhelming "bureaucracy and paperwork" can be for the most marginalized among us. Technology isn't the right solution for every problem. But, in this case, it's a game changer. Technology informed by work done on-the-ground and in partnership with patients remains our most important focus!

Asking sensitive questions of patients about their social lives can feel really hard as a health professional. However, it becomes much easier if we have potential solutions to offer. Our group has written about our approach to supporting patients enmeshed in the criminal legal system -- in these papers, we've described the many ways in which health professionals can, in partnership with lawyers and judges, support patients as they navigate a system that often feels overwhelming and re-traumatizing. With this paper, led by Ankita Patil and Dr. Monik Botero, we work backwards from these solutions to explore the extent to which health professionals are comfortable inquiring about a history of criminal legal involvement. This approach -- working backwards from a solution to figure out communication -- is key if we're going to truly affect the health-related social needs (HRSN) of individuals who are seeking healthcare. This has not historically been the approach we've taken with regard to HRSN. Consider the question: "Have your utilities been shutoff in the past 6 months?" This is the standard way in which almost all 23 validated HRSN questionnaires ask about utilities. Patients are very open to answering yes/no to this question, but when follow up questions are asked, most patients who answered in the affirmative say, "well, that was 4 months ago, and 3 months ago the issue was fixed." The equivalent question for criminal legal involvement is "have you been released from a correctional facility in the past year?" Again, patients may answer Yes/No to this question, but there is no meaningful action, or solution, that can be executed based on this question and its answer. Follow up questions that are action-oriented include: "do you have an upcoming court case?", "do you currently owe any court fines or fees?", etc. At Docs for Health, our proprietary screener is the only one in the country that asks prospective, solution-oriented questions. This means that we screen, then immediately take action. Importantly, this has implications for patient outcomes, but it also leads to happier health professionals who feel empowered to ask questions because they know that meaningful support can follow. Let's not ask for the sake of asking. Let's ask because we have meaningful supports and treatments to dispense in response. #socialdeterminantsofhealth #healthrelatedsocialneeds

Our journey in a picture...

It’s time for the November edition of our MedTech Startup Spotlight series!  With the growing pipeline of startups from Rhode Island's developing life sciences ecosystem, we’d like to highlight a local company focusing on another aspect of patient care. Meet Docs for Health–a Rhode Island-based startup that addresses the social needs of patients in real-time by partnering with hospitals, clinics, and payors to treat the social determinants of health. With intervention being the key ingredient of this unique approach, the impact on a patient’s life is nearly 17x that of one of the most common drugs used in medicine today.  Read on to learn how Docs for Health is shifting the paradigm of the standard of care for patients. “because healthcare involves more than medicine…” Read the full blog here: https://lnkd.in/e5qEbTRP Rahul Vanjani James Lawless, LMHC #DocsForHealth #SDoH #SocialDeterminantsofHealth #NEMIC #StartupSpotlight #RhodeIsland  #SmallBusiness #Healthcare