title: Population Health Research: Early Description of the Organizational Shift Toward Population Health Management and Defining a Vision for Leadership.
abstract: As health care delivery systems adapt to the changing marketplace, many struggle to define a clear strategy that will prove successful in managing the health of entire populations. The federal government continues to put increasing pressure on organizations to shift away from the traditional way of delivering episodic care and move toward managing populations as a whole-before, during, and after a patient presents in a health care facility. Private payers have begun to follow suit as risk-based payer contracts and bundled payment models become increasingly popular. For organizations to adequately influence the health outcomes of a population, they must be responsible for more than just a patient's medical care. They must partner with the community to create a strategy that encompasses the psychosocial and environmental factors that contribute to one's health. Although health care leaders know this industry transformation is imminent, there is minimal research that shares best practices in regard to designing and implementing a successful population health management strategy. Interviews were conducted with leadership from 10 organizations in order to understand the strategic approach taken by delivery systems and health care institutions that view population health as a key aspect of their overall mission. Responses were recorded and outlined in a detailed response grid. The objective is to provide a qualitative overview of how industry leaders are currently responding to population health. Additionally, common themes and recommendations are presented to serve as guidance for other health care organizations that are at the start of their journey toward population health management.
authors.affiliation: 1 Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Kristi L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Caldararo
authors.affiliation: 2 Jefferson College of Population Health , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Nash
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D000075485:Population Health; D062505:Value-Based Purchasing
keywords: organizational change; population health; value-based care