How IPM Addresses Social Determinants of Health

Where people are born, how they are raised, where they go to school … all of these factors have an impact on a person’s health.

Modern medicine and technology deliver progress, cost savings and innovation.

Just look to generic drugs as an example. In 2018, 90% of all medicines dispensed in the United States were generics.

And between 2009 -2018, generic medicines delivered more than $1.99 trillion in savings.*
Despite these advances, research shows that even the most compelling medical innovations can become ineffective due to socioeconomic factors referred to as social determinants of health. Examples include where people are born, how they grow up, educational opportunities, how much they earn, access to technology, etc.

Social determinants of health include:

Hunger
Housing
Income and Jobs
Access to care
Transportation
Isolation
Language and literacy
Education
Environment & Safety

Three ways IPM addresses social determinants of health.

IPM is deeply committed to addressing social determinants of health in the communities we serve. We do this in three ways:

Access to care: IPM maintains a broad national network of pharmacies that includes retail chains and independents along with mail order. Many of these pharmacies offer home delivery services, which is a vital service in this time of need.
Language and literacy: We live in a diverse world. Our staff speaks 12 languages. We’re mindful about communicating clearly and avoiding medical jargon.
Education: Our team members work hard to improve the health literacy of our customers by providing thoughtful and actionable information.

At IPM, we know that we cannot address the root causes of diseases on our own. But we firmly believe that by addressing social determinants of health, we play a critical role in helping members of our community get access to the care they need.

Share