Population health
Population health is the aggregation of various approach to health care that determines the health outcome of a group of individuals (Nash, JoAnne, Fabius, & Pracilio, 2011). Population health brings together the total quality of health of individuals in the community, considering the disparities in cultures, socioeconomical status, demographics, etc. The outcome of health of individuals in a giving population is highly determined by the policies that govern the healthcare delivery and care interventions (Nash et al., 2011). The care interventions include health screening, promotion and prevention, disease management, and chronic care management (Nash et al., 2011). To improve safety and and eliminate health disparities in the population, it is important to improve the quality of care of individuals, and the community as a whole by creating awareness about disease, providing education and setting in place facilities to help treat such diseases early before it becomes chronic illness. These are all categorized under primary, secondary, and tertiary intervention. According to Kindig, & Stoddart (2003), the concept and measurement of health and health outcomes focuses attention and research effort on the impact of each determinant and their interactions on some appropriate outcome, and it also allows one to consider health inequality and inequity and the distribution of health across subpopulations, as well as the ethical and value considerations underpinning these issues. Nash et al. (2011), the basic attributes of population health as follows:
Patient-centered care
Identified care provider
Interdiciplinary healthcare team members such as physical therapists, spech therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, etc
Knowledge and recognition of determinants of health and the impact on individuals and the population
Integration of the community systems with public health
Application of evidence-based practice to provide good quality, and cost effective care
Patient-centered care
Identified care provider
Interdiciplinary healthcare team members such as physical therapists, spech therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, etc
Knowledge and recognition of determinants of health and the impact on individuals and the population
Integration of the community systems with public health
Application of evidence-based practice to provide good quality, and cost effective care