Establishing a Successful Population Health Strategy in an Evolving Industry

In an industry that is constantly changing, one thing appears certain: The era of fee-for-service as the primary payment model is ending. Soon, most care delivery will be value-based, though it remains unclear what the value-based care world will ultimately look like. For healthcare providers, this change in payment model means that, now more than ever, it is time to develop a strong population health strategy.

Looking toward future success

As the shift continues, clinicians’ need to better understand their patient population will increase exponentially. This understanding, in turn, will help providers treat the entire population in a way that will not only improve clinical outcomes, but will also drive reimbursement. Additionally, as health plans move to narrower networks, they will become more selective about who they include. If health systems and practices don’t show quality results, it’s almost certain they will get excluded from those networks limiting access to patients.

Start now

For organizations to successfully manage the health of their populations, they need a strategy. When devising a population health strategy, looking at how your organization addresses each of population health’s four components—data aggregation and connectivity, analytics, care coordination and patient engagement—is a good place to start.

1. DATA AGGREGATION AND CONNECTIVITY

The need for comprehensive connectivity may seem obvious, but the fact remains: organizations need to ensure they can “talk” to other organizations and harmonize all the relevant data to get the best, most robust picture of a patient’s health information. In doing so, the most up-to-date information is in the clinician’s hands, at the point of care.

2. ANALYTICS

Having the most complete view of patients’ health records is critical for providing the most detailed care, but understanding the data—disease trends, identifying gaps in care—is what particularly drives population health management.

3. CARE COORDINATION

Building a population health strategy includes focusing on how organizations can effectively collaborate, communicate and support a smooth journey for every patient no matter where their care takes them. When organizations streamline care coordination, they can help reduce readmission rates and appropriately control utilization. More than anything, care coordination is the part of population health that significantly improves the patient experience.

4. PATIENT ENGAGEMENT

From online shopping to banking, it’s important to embrace the fact that patients are consumers and you need to find ways to reach them where they are most: On their mobile devices. As the fee-for-value payment model takes hold, it is increasingly important to care for patients beyond the walls of the hospital and physician offices. That means going beyond the standard patient portal and enabling engagement and communication between the patient and provider. This not only improves outcomes for patients, it creates a strong return on investment for your organization.