Comprehensive Review of the Success of the Hospital-at-Home Program in Today's Healthcare Delivery

Background: Social prescribing (SP) is a new approach of primary care with the aim of addressing patients' social, emotional, and practical needs (e.g., loneliness and mental health), which traditional medicine is ill-equipped to resolve. Given that 20% of general practice consultations are related to social needs, SP is timely. Aim: To review the implementation of social prescribing (SP) in general practice, including models of delivery, health and wellbeing outcomes, facilitators, barriers, and scalability. Methods: Following PRISMA 2020, we systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and grey literature from 2000 to October 2024. Sixty-eight studies were synthesized narratively using the GRADE approach and thematic analysis, with systematic reviews, primary research, and policy reports included. Results: SP models differ across the globe: the UK is the only country in which the link worker model is formalized, while Canada and Australia have less established approaches. Improved mental health, social connectivity, and reduced food insecurity are associated with SP; evidence for physical health and healthcare use is mixed. Important facilitators include funding and training, while barriers include competing demands on resources and gaps in the evidence base. Conclusions: SP adds strength to general practice by addressing social determinants of health. Standardised evaluation and developing strategies for scalability and equitable access to programs will be important in maximising the impact of SP efforts.