Why Population Health Isn’t the ‘Virtuous’ Approach

January 6, 2021

Mark Ganz isn’t a fan of healthcare’s fixation on population health. Ganz, who recently left the role of CEO of Cambia Health Solutions, told Fierce Healthcare in a recent interview that looking at health through a population lens creates distance between the healthcare system and the patient that doesn’t allow for digging into their individual needs.

Population health comes from a place of good intentions, he said. But prescribing solutions to populations without first getting to know people in an individual way is an “elitist” way to help them.

“It’s a distancing thing when you talk about a population because then you don’t have to get into the nitty-gritty of an individual person’s life and an individual family’s journey,” Ganz said. “And yet, the only way you can serve that individual in that family is if you do get into the nitty-gritty, and you get your hands dirty. It’s looking down your nose at the very people who are paying for the goods and services you provide,” Ganz said. Read more here.

(Source: Paige Minnemeyer; Fierce; 1/6/21)

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