Research

Population health approaches to formulating strategy:
The VHA has commissioned Monash University's School of Health Social Science Monash University to undertake a large scale population health research project.

This project Population health approaches to planning for the Victorian healthcare system aims to support healthcare agencies across Victoria to build their skills in, and understanding of, population health approaches to planning.

This research is due for completion in August 2010, and will be available to all members of the ACHG, courtesy of the VHA.

This research has a practical benefit to healthcare governance as targets a primary governance responsibility. That responsibility is to formulate strategy appropriate to the population health needs of the community being served by the organisation.

"Population health is concerned with improving the health of whole populations or specific populations, particularly to reduce health inequities, through policies, programs, research and interventions designed to protect and enhance health"

Project objectives
The project will:

• Articulate the meaning and purpose of population health approaches to planning including defining associated terms
• Identify the current misalignment of population health policy and planning practices
• Support the Australian health system to develop its capacity to undertake population health approaches to planning at agency, local, regional and state-wide levels, by:
• Providing resources and guides for population health approaches to planning
• Documenting preferred data sources, their relevance, and how to access and utilise them
• Provide independent research-based evidence to:
• Advocate across government for improved policy, investment and support for the health sector's venture into best practice population health approaches to planning
• Raise the media profile of population health approaches to planning and its associated benefits for health outcomes in the community
• Develop resources to strengthen the capacity of the health workforce by increasing their knowledge and skill in integrated population health approaches to service planning

Project deliverables
The project deliverables will include:

1. A position statement for use within the Australian health sector that will include relevant definitions and clearly articulate policy and other barriers to successful population health approaches to planning
2. A toolbox of population health approaches to planning for use by agencies in their planning activities, including identification of relevant data sources and how to utilise them
3. A practical guide for meeting current population health accreditation criteria and a strategy to improve the incorporation of population health approaches within accreditation frameworks (e.g. EQuIP, QICSA)
4. Development of a set of case study resources that highlight the findings of the project, support application of the toolbox and guide best practice population health approaches

Completed work
The VHA has endorsed two statements which articulate the meaning and purpose of population health and population health planning and also provide guidance by the four core components and eight best-practice principles that are required to achieve effective population health approaches to planning.
VHA Position Statement Population Health Approaches to Planning: Definitions
VHA Position Statement Population Health Approaches to Planning: Definitions Summary

In association with the VHA, the ACHG through current and future population health project activities is committed to improving the capacity of the Australian health system to implement population health approaches, and optimise the health of the Australian community.

Health Acronyms:
The ability to comprehend and apply a vast array of acronyms in everyday workplace relations has become normalised across industries. The health sector is no exception with acronyms used as short cuts to refer to both simple and complex health-related terms.

To assist the negotiation of the jargon in the health system, the ACHG has in association with the VHA collated a list of Health Industry Acronyms. The list includes over 300 terms and their associated acronyms as well as a number of website addresses for your further information.

It is hoped this list will serve as a helpful reference tool and is now available via the website. If you can suggest any additions, amendments or deletions to the list, please email the ACHG.