Competencies

• Examine disease management models and their effect on the health of populations and health economics.
• Apply the foundational principles of population health management to patient care.
• Appraise multiple methods of data resources and data collections used in diverse populations.
• Apply data analytic methodologies to diverse populations to address population health needs.
• Evaluate sets of health data from diverse populations using population health management principles.
• Develop a population health plan to address a health concern in the current healthcare industry.

Scenario

As the healthcare paradigm shifts from treating illness toward preventing illness, providers are being challenged to adopt new models of care delivery and to embrace evolving concepts of value-driven reimbursement strategies. Moreover, healthcare providers must give increased attention to improving healthcare in a manner that improves health outcomes across population groups for the entire nation. For example, data must be collected on populations and assessed to determine the effectiveness of different approaches.

Read the article, Navigating Population Health Management Challenges 

, for insight into some of the issues that providers face in making the shift toward population health management.

Imagine that you are the new Chief Population Officer for an integrated health system, and you are tasked by your health system CEO with identifying the challenges of such an implementation, analyzing why these challenges exist, discovering research-based proposed solutions for these challenges, and debating the pros and cons of each of these solutions.

Instructions

Your assignment consists of three parts.

Part 1: Identify Challenges

1. Identify five of the most significant challenges to implementing a population-health approach for improving health outcomes and promoting wellness in the United States.
2. Each challenge should be a sub-heading in this part of the paper. Present the challenge, describe it, and provide some history or background, based on credible research sources. If you need writing assistance, see the Rasmussen College Writing Guide.

Part 2: Analysis of Challenges

1. Explain each challenge you identified in Part 1 and provide a comprehensive discussion about why each has broad and far-reaching implications for improving the health of the U.S. population.
2. Use data and scholarly research to support your thinking and bolster your discussion.

Part 3: Discover Proposed Solutions

1. Discuss proposed solutions to each of your five identified challenges. These are to be solutions you have found in your research.
2. Discuss the pros and cons of the solutions you have discovered. What are the arguments for and against these proposed solutions and by whom? This requires critical analysis. You will want to assess the solutions, as well as their detractors and supporters and any possible biases for each. You will want to think through how solutions would be implemented, funded, supported, and received by various stakeholders such as medical professionals, government, and the public.

Requirements:

• The complete paper should address the three parts and to include a title and reference page.
• You must include at least eight credible sources, five of which must be scholarly sources from peer reviewed journals.
• Format your paper according to APA guidelines. For help with APA, visit the Rasmussen College APA Guide.

Grading Rubric

1.  Identified 5 significant challenges to implementing a population health approach for improving health outcomes and promoting wellness in the US. Offered a comprehensive description of the challenges with historical context or background.

2.  Provided a thorough explanation of why each of the 5 challenges has broad and far-reaching implications for improving the health of the US population.Included data and multiple (4 or greater) examples. Also included credible research to support assertions.

3.  Provided a comprehensive discussion of the proposed solution to each of the 5 challenges as indicated in the literature (research).

4. Included a comprehensive discussion on the pros and cons of the proposed solutions. The discussion included adequate critical analysis of the proposed solutions. The analysis addressed possible biases of the viewpoints offered.