Physicians Foundation seeks nominees for award, grants around social drivers of health

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Nominations are open for an award and grant proposal that aim to connect doctors with their patients’ social drivers of health.

The Physicians Foundation announced application periods for the Dr. Buz Cooper Award for Addressing Drivers of Health. There also is a Drivers of Health Grant Program that will aid medical societies in supporting physicians who integrate into regular patient care a better understanding of social drivers of health (SDOH), often shortened to drivers of health (DOH).

“Chronic disease is one of the most pressing health challenges of our time, and it is often driven by factors outside the exam room,” Foundation President Gary Price, MD, MBA, said in a news release. “Chronic conditions, like diabetes and heart disease, are dramatically impacted when people struggle to access healthy food, stable housing or reliable transportation. Through the Dr. Buz Cooper Award and the Drivers of Health Grant Program, we are supporting physicians who are stepping up to treat these upstream causes and champion real change for our patients.”

Honoring a leader

The Dr. Buz Cooper Award is named for the late Richard “Buz” Cooper, MD, author of “Poverty and the Myths of Health Care Reform.” The 2016 volume used demographic and economic data to examine the effects of poverty on health care costs, resource utilization and overall patient outcomes. The Physicians Foundation commissioned the book-length study, which was published by Johns Hopkins University Press.

The award is meant to honor a physician “who has gone above and beyond to connect their patients with the social, economic, educational and environmental resources they need for their overall health,” the Foundation’s announcement said.

Nominees should be physicians new or in mid-career, with practice experience fewer than 15 years. They must demonstrate physician leadership in the relevant award category. Award recipients will receive national recognition and will take part in thought leadership opportunities through the Foundation. In 2024, Jubril Oyeyemi, MD, was honored for his efforts to connect patients with primary care and critical health resources.

Nominations remain open through Sept. 12. Applicants should use the access code “award25.”

Assisting doctors with DOH

The Drivers of Health Grant Program aims to shift focus from food quantity to nutritional quality for patients. It will assist programs that empower physicians to connect with patients with resources that prioritize whole, minimally processed foods in alignment with national goals to improve population health and reduce preventable disease, according to Physicians Foundation plans.

Food and diet quality can contribute to conditions including diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, all which disproportionately affect patients in food-insecure households. Drivers of health, including food availability and quality, have become a priority for The Physicians Foundation. In its 2022 Survey of America’s Physicians, eight in 10 doctors said they believe the national cannot improve health outcomes or reduce health care costs without addressing drivers of health.

Up to five medical associations could receive up to $75,000 in grants over two years to help them develop capacity, resources and data collection toward social drivers of health.

“At The Physicians Foundation, we are steadfast in our commitment to addressing the drivers of health that so profoundly impact our nation’s wellbeing,” Physicians Foundation CEO Bob Seligson, said in the grant announcement. “Through research, education and innovative grant-making, we strive to empower physicians to address these drivers and ultimately enhance health outcomes for all. Addressing these drivers is imperative — not only to reduce health disparities and costs, but also to support the wellbeing of both patients and physicians across the country.”

The nomination period runs through Sept. 8 with an online application system. Applicants should use the access code DOH25.