SDOH Analytics Firm Attracts Investors

A Washington, D.C.-based startup called Socially Determined has raised $7.3 million in Series A funding. Investors include Ziegler Link-Age Funds, ProMedica, 3M, OSF HealthCare and LRVHealth.

 Socially Determined is an analytics company focused on the measurement of the social determinants of health (SDOH). The company said its SocialScape analytics product quantifies SDOH risk and delivers insights into how SDOH impact cost, utilization and outcomes. The company says it uses machine learning models to uncover SDOH risk and change the way healthcare organizations address critical social issues.

 Trenor Williams, M.D. is CEO and co-founder of Socially Determined. He, Ryan Bosch, M.D., and Anthony Beverina founded the 23-person company in 2017.

 "Our technology integrates clinical disease burden, utilization patterns, social risk and demographic data—and creates a business case for a health outcomes program," explained Williams, in a statement. "Addressing issues like food insecurity and housing instability not only positively impacts the lives of individuals, but it provides a real cost-savings to health systems, plans, and business stakeholders."

 Earlier this year Socially Determined won the LifeBridge Health and CareFirst Innovation Challenge, which gave it the opportunity to partner with LifeBridge Heath and CareFirst to use its SDOH risk measurement and analytic platform to help the two organizations in their shared goal to improve the health of people in Baltimore.

 In a release, Sarah de Ramirez, vice president and chief medical officer for clinical innovation at OSF HealthCare, said Socially Determined will eventually help predict socially vulnerable patients for possible intervention before they face a crisis that could significantly impact their health.