The Pitfalls, Opportunities of Social Determinants of Health Philanthropy
Social determinants of health philanthropy can be helpful for communities, but this type of support is also susceptible to pitfalls that can cripple their success.
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- Philanthropic efforts can provide a needed boost to disadvantaged communities, but payers that want to offer this kind of support to lessen social determinants of health barriers should be wary of certain problematic strategies, Tiffany Benjamin, chief executive officer of the Humana Foundation, explained on Healthcare Strategies.
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“The most important thing anybody can remember if they are going into philanthropy or just want to give, is that you have to be cognizant that the people closest to the pain, closest to the need, are the closest to the solution,” Benjamin said.
There are two pitfalls that payers and other healthcare leaders or organizations can encounter when they seek to support a community through philanthropic contributions.
First, organizations may seek to talk first and listen second. When seeking to implement or fund a solution for a community, payers should consult community members and organizations with an intimate knowledge of that region and its challenges.
Second, payers should aim to invest in long-term, not short-term, fixes.
“What we're trying to do here is to create structural and systemic change to address barriers that have existed for a really long time,” Benjamin shared.
“In doing that, you have to listen, but you also have to understand that you're not gonna solve all of these problems in five minutes. And so one of the other things I think is really key for people who are thinking about making an impact is that you can't just make a commitment for a year. You have to make a long-term commitment. You have to build a long-term strategy.”
Benjamin shared how payers can improve disaster philanthropy, how COVID-19 shaped philanthropy, and how to keep health equity central to these efforts.
