Implicit in “population health” is the recognition that health is the result of both clinical and non-clinical needs of citizens.
So how do we ensure all populations have a good chance for health?
Health service planning is the process that health systems undergo to plan what services they will deliver, and where. A google search for this topic shows that the conversation in Canada around planning health services focuses largely on supply-side issues, namely doctor shortages. But if one reads these concerns carefully, family physicians are what Canadian’s truly lack. This indicates we should be more focused on allocating health system resources based on what the needs are of a community; the demand-side of health care.
Assessing population health needs quickly leaves health systems in an odd position. If population health needs include services that are not only related to health care, then what is the health system to do?
This is a question not yet fully answered in Canada, let alone anywhere else. The hopeful solution around this question involves integrated service planning: Planning both health and social services in collaboration, where public services are complementary to fulfill both clinical and non-clinical needs of communities.
Fortunately, there are examples of tools to assess population health needs that take into account social and economic factors that lead to health inequities.
Check out this health needs assessment from the UK that shows the broad insights needed to fully capture “need” in the community. As you will see, properly assessing need requires a holistic understanding of communities, taking into account the social and physical environments people are exposed to, and coming up with action plans that eliminate the silos associated with traditional service planning.
A Population Health Blog 