Among patients with cancer, health-related social risks (HRSRs) such as food insecurity, transportation problems, and housing instability are common. Furthermore, HRSRs are associated with care access, quality, and cost; are linked to important outcomes (eg, recurrence, mortality, financial toxicity); and drive pervasive disparities across each. To improve health quality, equity, and outcomes, organizations such as the National Cancer Institute, ASCO, American Cancer Society, and National Cancer Policy Forum have emphasized the need to incorporate social care into cancer care. In 2021, ASCO assembled an SDOH Task Force to develop recommendations and programs to help ASCO address SDOH through its strategic pillars of research, education, and quality.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services created ICD-10-CM Z codes for SDOH (henceforth, Z codes) in 2015. These Z codes, which encompass a broad range of SDOH, are grouped into 9 categories, with additional codes under each heading providing specific SDOH descriptions. The structured and standardized electronic health record (EHR) data generated from Z codes can be leveraged by researchers, health systems, and payers to improve quality, equity, and outcomes.