The Importance Of Population Health Management

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Population Health Management (PHM) is a refined care delivery model involving a systematic effort to assess the health needs of a target population and to provide services to maintain and improve the health of that population (Sg2 Health Care Intelligence, 2014, p. 1).As health care systems search for ways to reduce spending, PHM may be considered . However, confusion and skepticism of PHM.are present. The framework for PHM includes a multi-step approach that composed of four steps similar to the public health model. The framework is composed of: 1) population identification; 2) health assessment; 3) risk stratification; and 4) health continuum. The health continuum helps establish whether or not someone within a population is low or no risk, moderate risk, or high risk for the selected health complication being addressed. Depending on where the individual falls on the continuum or how much of a risk is present ultimately determines what kind of health management intervention should be employed. Health management interventions include preventative services, lifestyle coaching, traditional care, complex care management, palliative and end of life care (Sg2 Health Care Intelligence, 2014, p. 2,).
PHM is unlike what most health systems do today. Health care organizations involved in population health must be concerned with all the determinants of health, including environmental, social, economic and individual factors. This type of care falls outside the realm of traditional medicine, and is very hard for health care facilities to implement this strategy alone. PHM is recommended by Sg2 Health Care Intelligence (2014) to occur a Clinical Alignment and Resource Effectiveness (CARE).???????? This is the networking and partnering wit...

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...on rates and costs. Telephone-based education, a core activity of many PHM programs, can promote patient self-care and satisfaction. Remote patient monitoring technology appears to be effective in managing chronic disease and overcome the lack of timely data. These technological devices can monitor glucose and blood pressure, provide real time information or health status and indicate intervention. Also, the use of social networks have been successful. Many organizations like Weight Watchers and Alcoholics Anonymous have shown how peer to peer support groups can shape behavior. These types of accomplishments shed positive reinforcement of the development of PHM (Sg2 Health Care Intelligence, 2014, p. 5). Whether an organization decides to use PHM’s model or not, there are characteristics that an organization must have to make in order for the shift to be successful.

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