How to Improve SDOH Screening Why Quality is More Important Than Quantity

We’re excited to share a brand new episode of "More Health, Less Healthcare" with you! This week, host Peter Boland sits down with two incredible voices from the SIREN group: Andy Quiñones-Rivera and Danielle Hessler Jones. If you care about what makes social care truly effective (it’s more than just paperwork), this episode is a must-listen.

Episode Sneak Peek: What You’ll Learn

We packed this episode with actionable insights—here are 5 keys you’ll take away:

1. The True Mission of SIREN
2. SIREN stands for Social Intervention Research Evaluation Network—get the inside scoop on how they’re reshaping the way we think about social determinants of health.
3. It’s Not Just the Data—It’s the Interaction
4. Andy Quiñones-Rivera shares why the way social needs screenings are conducted can be as important—sometimes more important—than what’s actually asked.
5. Patient Experience: More Than a Number
6. Diving into real patient interviews, you’ll hear what makes social care a positive or negative experience, and why just checking a box isn’t enough.
7. Racism and Stigma in Social Care
8. The team bravely discusses how issues of race and stigma shape patient trust and engagement, with powerful patient quotes to bring these realities to life.
9. New Tools for Real Change
10. Danielle Hessler Jones unveils a new patient experience measure—designed not just to count how many screenings happen, but to help improve the quality of care across the board.

Fun Fact from the Episode!

Even when patients received material help (like a referral or resource), many said the feeling of the interaction—whether they were listened to, respected, and approached with cultural sensitivity—sometimes mattered even more than the help itself!

Listen & Be Inspired

This conversation is a reminder: social care is not about ticking boxes, but about making real, human connections that have the power to heal and build trust. Whether you’re a healthcare pro, patient, or just passionate about health equity, you’ll come away with practical ideas on how to make a difference.

Your Turn!

Ready to dive deeper? 🎧 Check out the episode and explore the full slide deck available in our show notes for even more insight. After listening, reply to this email and let us know your biggest takeaway—or tell us how YOU think we can improve social care!

Dr. Andy Quiñones-Rivera is an emergency medicine physician and the Medical Director of Acute Care Outcomes at Alameda Health System. Their work is focused on health care quality, population health, and social determinants of health. Dr. Quiñones-Rivera earned their medical degree from the UCSF School of Medicine (UCSF PRIME-US) and completed their emergency medicine residency at the Los Angeles County–University of Southern California Medical Center.

Dr. Hessler Jones is co-Director of the Social Interventions Research and Evaluation Network (SIREN) and a Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. Her research focuses on social care delivery in the health care sector; including understanding the impact and implementation of programs aimed at screening and addressing social risks alongside programs that seek to adjust care to fit an individual’s social context. As a health psychologist Dr. Hessler Jones also brings experience in health behaviors and engagement and intersections with mental health.