Population health: An advocacy approach

In the realm of data, we should all want results to be actionable. I find when people ask about actionability, they mean how they can use data to inform and enhance services to an individual. As a psychologist, I totally get this. It was a reason I was frustrated with a lot of the outcomes tools we were supposed to use—I saw minimal to no individual actionability.

Then I saw more of the population health view. Running a grant-funded program, I had to provide data to demonstrate how we were using funds properly and making a difference in our clients’ lives. I also saw that what data is presented can shape the services and benefits packages offered.

We could reinforce pathology-focused medical necessity-driven work. Or we could advocate for more person-centered, strengths-based, whole person care.

While results from analytics can most definitely inform individual-level actionability, I have become driven by more of what I call the system-level actionability—using data to inform systemwide quality improvement and advocate for better systems, structures, services, and benefits packages. In my new Health IT Outcomes column, I share my thoughts on how technology can improve population health.