Understanding Social Determinants of Health

Context is Key Series

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Welcome to the Context Is Key series, a groundbreaking initiative designed to help you integrate social determinants of health (SDOH) into your rheumatology practice. Through interactive courses and practical tools we empower you to build a compassionate, culturally proficient environment where every patient’s context is understood—and their outcomes are improved.
About the Initiative

Why Context Matters

“Context Is Key” is driven by the Rheumatology Nurses Society (RNS) to equip nurses, advanced practice providers, and other healthcare professionals with practical resources for addressing the social, cultural, and economic factors that significantly affect patient care. Our goal is to inspire lasting change in clinical practice—fostering environments that value health equity, cultural proficiency, and ongoing innovation.
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Context is Key Series

Equitable Care in Rheumatology

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Understanding Your Patient's Community

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How Social Factors Influence Health

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Defining Implicit Bias and Cultural Proficiency

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Patient Health Literacy and Interpretation

RNS Social Determinants of Health Toolkit

Health Disparities Guide
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Breaking Down Health Disparities: Conversations We Should be Having With Our Patients

We believe that finding ways to assess social determinants of health is an important consideration for nurses and advanced practice providers as they deal with a wide range of patients. Our “Breaking Down Health Disparities: Conversations We Should be Having With Our Patients” guide is designed to help you collect information about a patient’s social determinants of health, and understand why it is crucial for impactful care delivery. We hope that with this guide you will not only connect with your patients on a deeper level, but also provide improved patient-centered care as you develop care plans that take into consideration your patient’s social health.
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Rheumatology Social Needs Screening Tool

Understanding your patient’s social needs can be challenging, but is a valuable early step in improving treatment outcomes. With this in mind, the RNS has created a Social Needs Screening Tool that is as easy to integrate into clinical workflows as it is for the patient to understand and complete.
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Social Determinants of Health Implementation Plan

The SDOH Implementation Plan is a step-by-step guide designed to help healthcare teams integrate social determinants of health into their daily practice. This structured roadmap provides clear action items, staff responsibilities, and key milestones to ensure a seamless and effective implementation process.
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Implicit Bias Worksheet

This Implicit Bias Worksheet is designed to help healthcare providers recognize and address unconscious biases that may impact patient care. By engaging in self-reflection and committing to actionable steps, you can foster a more equitable and culturally proficient healthcare environment.