Tool to Assess Return-on-Investment for Coordinating Primary Medical Care and Social Services

Tabbush will construct a user‐friendly online calculator that can measure ROI for organizations seeking to
incorporate social services in primary care practice. He will improve upon the existing SCAN‐funded calculator
by: 1) enabling users to factor in different payment arrangements—including fee‐for‐service, capitation, and
shared savings—to provide more sophisticated ROI analyses; and then 2) building in the capability to
demonstrate how potential financial returns would be apportioned between the medical entity and the
community‐based organizations that deliver the social services. The financial algorithms and ROI calculations
embedded in the calculator will undergo peer review to improve their validity. Feedback obtained from users
of the existing calculator and interviews with leaders at community‐based organizations and health systems
will also inform development of the new tool.