“It doesn’t feel as much like my downfall for needing help”: patient perspectives on pathways for improving health through social health integration

Although few patients reported successful connection to social services as a result of participating in the SHI program, many more patients reported that their positive interactions with a resource specialist regarding their social circumstances led to an improved perception of their health care system, and the perception that their needs had been met. This mismatch emphasizes the value that health care organizations can offer by providing emotional support to patients who are facing stressful social circumstances, even when the need for social services outstrips the supply.