The Emergence of Population Health in US Academic Medicine

Increasing emphasis on improving population health in response to poor US health performance despite advancements in healthcare delivery.
Recognition that social determinants of health require greater focus to meet national health goals and reduce costs.
Aligns with the triple-aim framework aimed at improving care, health, and cost-effectiveness using accountable health communities.
Advances in understanding root causes of health and initiatives that bridge sectors for health promotion and disease prevention.

New departments focused on population health emerging in US academic medical centers (AMCs) to serve as hubs for research, education, and initiatives aimed at improving population health and health equity.
Notable growth in the last 6 years, with eight of nine departments in a working group established recently.
Each department varies in size, structure, and focus areas but share common goals across research, education, and community service.

Core Themes: Research, education, community service, health equity, and partnership development.
Methodological Emphasis: Focus on population-level approaches and applied research in clinical and community settings.

Diversity in Relationships with Clinical Care: While all departments engage in practice-based collaborations, their ties to clinical care vary.
Community Engagement: Strong commitment to partnering with community organizations and stakeholders to advance health equity and collaboratively develop solutions for local health issues.

Establishing and reinforcing academic medicine's commitment to population health principles.
Holistic approach to health that integrates clinical and social determinants.
Engaging community members as partners in health improvement initiatives.
Expanding research portfolios to include diverse funding sources beyond traditional NIH grants.

Inter-Departmental Overlaps: Potential conflicts with established departments that may have similar focuses, leading to competition for resources and clarity on roles.
Funding Limitations: Need for institutional support for a mixed portfolio of funding sources; pressure to prioritize biomedical research limits growth of population health agendas.
Partnership Development: Building trusted relationships with communities takes time, investment, and ongoing dialogue.

The emergence of population health departments demonstrates a significant trend in academic medicine toward addressing comprehensive health outcomes.
This shift is essential for bridging gaps between traditional medical care and public health, fulfilling academic medicine's social mission, and enhancing population health research and practice.