Providing high quality, accurate referrals to community resources can help patients or clients successfully access the resources they need to be healthy – and build considerable trust along the way. From food, to housing, to transportation, clients know these resources are essential to their health and well-being, so it is critical that the information you provide is up-to-date and sets them up for success – just as you would approach medical referrals.
While providing accurate information on your community resources referrals is helpful, it is often not enough to successfully connect a client to needed resources. Gathering and tracking feedback from clients on the barriers they face when acting on a resource referral can help your organization establish more effective social needs screening and referral practices.
This guide is designed to help healthcare and community-based organizations create and maintain high-quality resource listings for clients. It includes practical steps and fillable templates to help you better understand and proactively address barriers to access.