Patient Population
What is a patient population?
A patient population refers to a collection of individuals grouped together based on certain health conditions, demographics, and geographic features such as ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and population density. For example, a patient population based on similar health characteristics would be people with asthma or women who are pregnant. Healthcare providers can look at patient populations across regional, national, and global areas.
People can be part of multiple patient populations at the same time. Individuals move in and out of patient populations as their circumstances change, such as when they move or when they no longer have a disease.
What are the different types of patient populations?
There are a wide variety of different patient populations representing numerous different demographics, geographies, and healthcare conditions.
Patient populations can be geographical, such as a local community or even a whole nation. But they can also be more defined groups, such as a group of employees at a company or a unit of incarcerated people in a prison.
A patient population could also refer to people of a certain ethnic group or people with a specific disability. People with low income or high income could also be their own patient population.
Patient populations can also be grouped together by certain healthcare conditions, such as those with type-1 diabetes or high blood pressure.
Why are patient populations important to healthcare?
Patient populations are important because they indicate which groups of patients may benefit from new treatments or specialized care. Patient populations can also help determine which services healthcare organizations should focus on.
Additionally, a patient population can provide valuable information to healthcare organizations about the patients being cared for at a facility, helping healthcare organizations form meaningful relationships with patients.
An understanding of a patient population can also help organizations implement population health management programs to improve outcomes and provide more personalized care to patients.