Population health management refers to the process of improving clinical health outcomes of a defined group of individuals through improved care coordination and patient engagement supported by appropriate financial and care models. It helps members access resources and preventive services and ensures members and communities have longer, healthier, and happier lives with improved health outcomes and a reduction in health disparities.

Population Health is complicated, and to be able to deliver quality care consistently there are four pillars that are supported by three main tenets. The four pillars are provided in the graphic below, and to have to be supported by the tenets of providing easy to use navigation, patient education and behavioral economics to be successful.

In order to achieve the ambitious goal of improving the healthcare system, members of the ecosystem must be prepared to broaden their current focus on acute, episodic care. This will mean leveraging population health management strategies and work to incorporate prevention and disease management to maintain ongoing patient health.