Health Leads
Every day in America, doctors prescribe antibiotics to patients who have no food at home or are living in a car. Of course, medicine alone won’t solve these problems, and many of the patients will return with more serious – and more expensive – illnesses. But, for the most part, doctors don’t have the time or knowledge to address patients’ basic resource needs.
Health Leads solves this problem. With Health Leads, a doctor can “prescribe” food, housing, or other critical resources – just as they would medication. Patients take their prescriptions to the clinic waiting room, where Health Leads’ college volunteers are ready to connect them to these resources.
Last year, Health Leads trained and deployed 660 college volunteers to connect nearly 6,000 low-income patients and their families to the resources they need to be healthy.
By providing a transformative experience for hundreds of college volunteers, Health Leads is producing a pipeline of new leaders who will have both the conviction and the ability to revolutionize health care.
Health Leads’ goal is that one day, all doctors will be able to prescribe solutions that improve health, not just manage disease. The diagnosis and treatment of non-medical, but health-critical, conditions should be a standard part of patient care.
By addressing the real health issues facing low-income Americans, Health Leads’ simple, economical, and effective model is a key step toward achieving both better health and lower costs.