EuroHealthNet co-authors article: A comparison of social prescribing approaches across twelve countries
The EuroHealthNet Partnership has co-authored a scientific paper titled “A comparison of social prescribing approaches across twelve high-income countries“. It presents evidence of the conceptualisation and implementation of social prescribing schemes in Australia, Austria, Canada, England, Finland, Germany, Portugal, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, the Netherlands, the United States and Wales.
Social prescribing connects patients with community resources to improve their health and wellbeing. It is gaining momentum globally due to its potential for addressing non-medical causes of illness while building on existing resources and enhancing overall health at a relatively low cost. The COVID-19 pandemic further underscored the need for policy interventions to address health-related social issues such as loneliness and isolation.
Findings reveal that despite varying health system contexts, many countries are embracing social prescribing to address patients’ holistic social needs, emphasising flexibility, collaboration, and ongoing evaluation as essential components for successful implementation and scalability.