Council moves SVS into vascular population health vacuum

Jan 03, 2021 Re-posted from the January 2021 issue of Vascular Specialist

Beth Bales

The Clinical Practice Council, chaired by William Shutze, MD, has numerous ongoing and new projects and initiatives, including the new SVS Population Health Initiative. There are several definitions that might clarify the concept of population health.

One is: “The health outcomes of a group of individuals, including the distribution of such outcomes within a group.” Another: “The health of a population as measured by health status indicators and as influenced by social, economic, and physical environments, personal health practices, individual capacity and coping skills, human biology, early childhood development, and health services.” Several factors contributed to the pursuit of this initiative. “It is well recognized that there are racial, social and geographic disparities in healthcare delivery—including for vascular disease,” explains Shutze.

The reimbursement climate is in the middle of a pivot towards value-based reimbursement. There is currently no other entity addressing vascular population health, and the SVS is the appropriate entity to move into this space. The project will describe and delineate vascular health disparities, optimize a value-based care model, and supplement this with education for patients and healthcare providers. The SVS has partnered with the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine’s department of population science and policy. It will develop a guide and then conduct focus groups with the SVS membership to understand vascular population health challenges and innovations.

 

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