Title : Beyond the discharge: A trauma service program integrating community health workers
Abstract:
Background: High-utilizing trauma patients face complex medical, social, and psychological challenges, including substance use, exposure to violence, food and housing insecurity, and health illiteracy. These social determinants of health (SDOH) are often unaddressed, contributing to recurrent injury, increased healthcare utilization, and poor long-term outcomes.
Intervention: Coordinated, multidisciplinary interventions are essential to address these determinants, improve recovery, reduce recidivism, and promote long-term stability.
Role of CHWs: Community health workers (CHWs) act as a bridge between the hospital and community. They engage patients, coordinate care, connect them to social and behavioral health resources, assist with navigating trauma support systems, and provide education and emotional support. Some CHWs receive trauma-specific training to help mitigate long-term effects of trauma.
Significance: Integrating CHWs into trauma care addresses root causes of recurrent injury, reduces readmissions, improves adherence to follow-up care, and enhances overall patient well-being. This approach promotes health equity, strengthens community partnerships, and supports sustainable, patient-centered trauma care.
Next Steps: Future work will expand CHW integration, develop evaluation frameworks to measure impact, and strengthen community collaborations to improve access to resources. Findings will inform best practices and support the scalability and sustainability of this model.
Poster Summary: Integrating community health workers into trauma services addresses social needs, promotes patient engagement, reduces recurrent injury, and fosters sustainable, patient-centered care for high-risk populations.
