The rising costs of health care in the United States continue to strain the U.S. economy. While U.S. health care costs are exceedingly higher than any other nation in the world, health outcomes as compared to other developed nations lag considerably. This circumstance led to changes in health policy and payment intended to improve care quality, patient experience and affordability. New value-based payment models have incentivized Population Health Management, in which the interplay of policy, health care systems, socioeconomics, community, and the individual are addressed in an integrated, data-driven, and team-based approach to care.
Primary care is the bedrock of population health and the successful primary care physician of the future will possess both the knowledge and the critical skills to deliver high value care with an understanding of population health management.
Residents who complete the Population Health Track will:
- Recognize and be able to address the broad array of factors that impact health and wellness including social determinants of health and health care disparities
- Appreciate and promote the role of patient, family, community and physician engagement in advancing health outcomes
- Be able to interpret and use data to improve care delivery and catalyze care transformation
- Comprehend the role and impact of population health management on health disparities and the promotion of health equity
- Be able to interpret and use data to improve care delivery and catalyze care transformation
- Engage and partner with multidisciplinary team members both within and outside of the traditional health care system
- Possess fundamental knowledge of critical concepts in quality / process improvement and collaborative leadership
- Understand the evolution of health care policy and payment models in order to position their future practice for sustained success
Program size: up to 4 residents per year of training (12 total)
Settings: Accountable Care Organization (Integra), Community Hospital (Kent), Community Based Organizations (businesses that address Social Determinants of Health), Home-Based Healthcare (including working with Community Paramedics, Community Health Workers, Palliative and Hospice Care), Outpatient Practices (Primary Care, Specialty Care, Behavioral Health)
Program description: The curriculum will include didactic and experiential learning across the following foundations of population health management:
- Health Care Policy and Payment
- Data Analytics and Decision Support
- Preventive and Behavioral Health
- Health Equity
- Collaborative Leadership and Continuous Improvement
- Patient, Family, and Community Engagement