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Population Health Pilot Launches at Hudson Headwaters Health Network
Students at Hudson Headwaters Health Network gain a deep understanding of what it’s like to care for patients and families over time through the Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship, which incorporates all of the core specialties over the course of one year. Now, they are also learning the fundamentals of population health through a pilot Health Systems Science Curriculum. Funded through a Teaching Academy grant, the 11-month pilot introduces students to the “triple aim” in healthcare, which focuses on improving the patient experience of care; improving the health of populations; and reducing the per capita cost of health care. Students also contribute new knowledge: As third-year medical students, they’re in a perfect position to propose solutions to challenges they observe, says Colleen Quinn, M.D., a family medicine physician and Hudson Headwaters site director. Students may see needs — like higher than average smoking rates, lack of breast cancer screening access, or transportation challenges — that if addressed would improve the health of communities. “Hopefully the connections they make and the genuine relationships they develop will help them to become committed to this type of care,” says Quinn. Through the program, students are positioned to become change agents as they go on to residency and practice, says Stephanie Mann, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and principal investigator on the Teaching Academy grant. “[Health systems science] is the future of medical education,” she says. “It’s not a soft addition or a luxury. It has to be part of what we’re teaching and practicing.”