Answering the call for integrating population health: insights from health system executives.

Abstract

Purpose: The Affordable Care Act is transforming health care practice nationwide through emphasis on population health and prevention. Health care organizations are increasingly required to address population health needs. However, they may be ill equipped to answer that call.

Design/methodology/approach: This study identified ways that health care organizations might better integrate public and population health efforts to better respond to this new emphasis on population health. Employing semi-structured key informant interviews, barriers to and facilitators of integration were explored and implications for health care and public health leaders were developed.

Findings: - Participants (n = 17)--including senior hospital executives, group practice administrators, and health department officials--dentified strategies for health care and public health leaders to more effectively integrate in order to achieve better performance and popula-ion health gains. These strategies and their implications are discussed. OORIGINALITY/VALUE:The results of this study provide important value to health care administrators leading efforts to integrate population and public health.