Message from the Chair
Focusing on the Health of Populations
Puzzled looks are quite common when I first mention that I am the Chair of the School of Medicine’s Department of Population Science and Policy. People understand health care delivery, community engagement, government, even public health. However, the concept of population science or population health is relatively new. It is barely understood within the health care system, let alone communities at large. Yet, the power of this work is beginning to fundamentally change how we understand health and health care. With an enhanced focus on issues such as socioeconomic conditions, health behaviors and built environments, population health is changing the very practice of medicine.
The movement toward addressing the health of populations first started receiving national attention in 2008. Authors Don Berwick, Tom Nolan, and
John Whittington
from the
Institute of Healthcare Improvement
published an article in
Health Affairs
titled,
"The Triple Aim: Care, Health, and Cost."
It expressed the challenges in the current United States health care environment, which include a reactive healthcare system, systematic inefficiencies and payment incentives. Even today, the U.S. spends over three times the average of other developed nations on health care. Despite this extravagant cost, the U.S. lags behind its peers in over 100 health measures. In 2018, life expectancy decreased in the U.S. for the third straight year – a trend not seen since World War I.
Berwick, Nolan and Whittington argued that these statistics needed to change. However, change would require health care systems to take the responsibility to achieve the Triple Aim: 1) to provide the best experience of health care, 2) perform that care in the most cost-effective way and 3) improve the health of populations. The first two ideas in the triple aim were fairly well understood in medicine, but the idea of improving the health of populations was transformational. And though many traditionally viewed population health as a government's responsibility, tides were changing. Organizations like ours were formed to create a way for health care systems and medical schools to improve health of both the patient and the population. I’m honored to work with partners across the state and country to discover solutions.
Our second issue of the Pioneer in 2019 dives deep into the idea of population health and its intersection with clinical medicine and public health. The field of population health is innovative, different and exciting. However, it remains somewhat new in medical schools across the country. PSP is one of only 15 academic departments at U.S. medical schools focused on population health issues. We are honored to be one of only a handful of departments with a focus on a mostly rural service region and a specific named focus on policy. These departments have various organizational structures, but at their core, these entities have an emphasis on research, strong commitment to partnership, interest in engaging other sectors, and a focus on improving health equity.
Our Department of Population Science and Policy's work is only just beginning. Yet, we are proud to be part of a small group of leaders building a national movement to transform how we think about health and the actions we take to improve it. Thank you to all of you – our partners – for your help, dedication, and partnership. Together, we will continue to address health disparities and improve the health of central and southern Illinois.
Sincerely,
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The term "population health" is gaining momentum. An increasing number of medical schools are adding it as a focus; healthcare entities now view it as an important part of medicine; and tech companies are focused on harnessing digital information to improve population health. We at the Department of Population Science and Policy wholeheartedly support this trend toward population health and are dedicating this issue's division updates to focus on how population health is translated to both PSP's day-to-day operations and our overarching goals.
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Epidemiology and Biostatistics
The
Epidemiology and Biostatistics Division
works to better understand the context of health and disease in rural (and largely resource-poor) communities. This division looks at what makes life and health more difficult in rural areas, and what types of interventions may be best. Because rural communities are traditionally close-knit, an understanding of the local culture is essential in crafting effective interventions. Division faculty and staff consider how perceived stigma and community norms contribute to service and care accessibility and utilization.
PSP's Epidemiology and Biostatistics Division focuses its research on rural populations and those who may otherwise be marginalized. For example, current projects are examining sexual and gender minorities and people who inject and/or use drugs in rural areas. PSP has a history of working with local health departments in central and southern Illinois as well as many local and regional organizations to perform research that has an academic interest and practical application.
The Epidemiology and Biostatistics Division's focus on population health makes its research and interventions unique. Population research often requires an extended time period needed for implementation and outcomes evaluation to effectively assess impact – and this is compounded by our rural service area that consists of relatively fewer people. Therefore, our researchers must survey and/or measure a greater proportion of individuals to reach a conclusion. Learning about our rural service area, its challenges, and designing effective interventions play a huge part in improving the health of an often-overlooked rural population.
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Human and Community Development
The
Human and Community Development Division
(HCD)
takes a different approach to research and population health than the Epidemiology and Biostatistics Division. Human and Community Development works with communities who request our assistance. HCD often starts its community partnerships with a community assessment to determine health needs. From there, HCD starts designing an intervention or modifying a current evidence-based program to best suit that particular community.
Sometimes the link between the community need and population health isn't cut and dry. An important part of the Human and Community Development Division's process is to help connect the dots in order to find local funding. Many of HCD's partnerships are with hospitals and school districts.
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Health System Science
The
Health System Science Division
uses evidence-based sources to provide policy recommendations focusing on improving the health outcomes of rural residents. The
2018 Illinois Rural Health Summit
kicked off the blueprint for how to improve rural health. Through meetings with legislators and key stakeholders in communities and corporations, the Rural Health Summit team has begun to write briefs that contain policy recommendations aimed at improving the outcomes identified in the blueprint.
HSS' work helps form policies that allow health improvements to be sustainable and is a huge asset to other PSP divisions to make sure policy is included in research efforts.
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Education
The
Education
team at PSP continues to work to enhance the educational program for population health studies for medical students at SIU School of Medicine. Through the facilitation of
Dr. Yuri Fedorovich
, PSP recently hosted a panel discussion at the SIU Annual Symposium on Teaching and Learning which presented collaborations between faculty and students in re-imagining the new population health curriculum developed by PSP. Panelists shared their experiences and provided insight regarding successes and next steps for curricular development.
PSP recently enveloped SIU's MD/MPH program and is working with SIUC faculty to redesign the program. Several goals for this project include facilitation of a smoother transition of students from the Carbondale to Springfield campus, making additional elective coursework available to students, development of a network of professionals currently working in the field of public health who are willing to mentor students and increased opportunities for applied practical experiences and integrated learning.
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Emergence of Population Health in
Academic Medical Departments
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The Department of Population Science and Policy exists in a new but rapidly growing field and we share a special kinship with similar young departments focused on population health. A
new article
was recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) by the chairs of the first 10 US population health academic medical departments about this rapidly evolving discipline. PSP is named in the article and PSP's founding chair, Dr. Vohra, is listed as a contributor. Read it
here
.
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40 Under 40 in Public Health
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The Department of Population Science and Policy is thrilled to announce that PSP Founding Chair
Dr. Sameer Vohra
has been recognized as a member of the inaugural class of
40 Under 40 in Public Health
by the de Beaumont Foundation. This list recognizes young professionals in public health who are strengthening communities with new ideas, creative problem-solving and innovative solutions.
Improving community health requires effective state and local health departments and a strong and diverse public health workforce. New ideas, creative problem-solving and innovative solutions benefit communities and improve the field of public health. That’s why the de Beaumont Foundation is recognizing the inaugural
40 Under 40 in Public Health
. The list offers more information about the honorees who are changing their local communities – and congrats again to Dr. Vohra!
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Pathways to Population Health
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PSP Administrative Director
Heather Whetsell
was recently invited to attend
Pathways to Population Health
(P2PH) Celebration and Design Day in Boston. This event aimed to enhance P2PH's work to advance population health improvement through the development and dissemination of the Pathways to Population Health Framework, Compass and affiliated resources.
Population health thought leaders from across the US discussed efforts to share P2PH resources and other best practices and data to improve health equity in communities, create bridges between sectors and develop new cultures and mindsets in the realm of population health.
Pathways to Population Health offers a wide array of resources, guides and other information for virtually anybody or any organization interested in joining the effort to improve public health.
Learn more
and
join
the P2PH movement to improve health in your community.
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The Department of Population Science and Policy is looking for talented, dedicated individuals to join our interdisciplinary team and assist with meeting our mission of understanding and advancing the health, development and wellness of residents in central and southern Illinois.
PhDs and MDs with backgrounds in epidemiology, biostatistics, health services, children and community health (or related fields) are encouraged to apply. We’re also seeking research and community support staff. View our vacancies at
www.siumed.edu/hr
or contact
Heather Whetsell
for more information.
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Population Science & Policy
201 E. Madison Street
Springfield, IL 62702
(217) 545-7939
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