Population health management through integrated data monitoring

Josefien Van Olmen, Bert Vaes, Gijs Van Pottelbergh, Marie Van De Putte, Mare Claeys, Veerle Buffel, Edwin Wouters

Keywords: integrated care; routine health data; monitoring of quality of care

Background:
The COVID pandemic has shown the importance of data-driven health policy and locally adapted management. However, while ample data exist at the national level, local health authorities in most countries currently lack access to coherent and usable data for their specific population. This study aims to provide a solution by designing, implementing and testing a population-based dashboard for monitoring triple aim indicators for local health authorities.

Research questions:
1. Which essential set of triple aim indicators can be derived from existing data sources to be applied in a local setting?
2. How can this data be presented in a dashboard so that it informs local health authorities?
3. Which are the potential legal and administrative implications?

Method:
Through an in-depth case study design, we develop a pilot intervention for local health authorities of primary care zones (+/-100.000 inhabitants) in Flanders, Belgium. The intervention is a dashboard for monitoring triple aim indicators of key health problems. Core partners are: data owners, data processers and local health authorities. We selected two geographic areas to test the development and one key health problem as the initial focus of the development, namely diabetes. Indicators will be established through a stakeholder dialogue/delphi method. A process evaluation will assess the legal and administrative implications.

Results:
The result will be a uniform dashboard on which local health authorities can access the data needed to establish and address priorities and design strategies to improve both population health and health equity.

Conclusions:
Population health management is an increasingly important responsibility for local authorities who need real-time data to perform this task and be accountable. The development of accessible, reliable and user-friendly health dashboards is essential to support policy makers in their responsibility.

Points for discussion:
1. What is the role of primary care practices in population management?

2. Which practice-level data can and should be incorporated in a primary care zone dashboard?

3. How do we involve people in the decisions about health management?