Engagement, its one of the other buzzwords running through the health and health care system. But just what is engagement and how do you measure it? It seems that every organization reports on engagement in their population health management, disease management or wellness programs in a different way.  Members of the Population Health Alliance are presently working through their Quality and Research Committee to define it. If you’d like to get involved please contact me, there’s a form at the end.
Here is the Workgroup’s Charge:
 

PHA Workgroup on Engagement

This workgroup is charged with establishing a widely accepted definition of engagement that accurately defines engagement as it pertains to the field of population health management. This effort will help to build consensus, inform health plans, employers, providers, health service companies and consultant communities. This work will also validate the interest in engagement as it relates to managing the health of a population. This definition will ideally include a framework that identifies stakeholders, key levers to engagement, and key performance metrics. This workgroup will develop a value proposition for improving population engagement levels within the context of the four key levers (communications, rewards and recognition, culture/organizational support and technology) that are believed to directly impact engagement. Each workgroup will provide guidance on and produce definitions, measures, best practices, resources and strategies for each lever. Finally, the workgroup will propose future research and work needed to validate this work and quantify the value of engagement within the population health management field.
Workgroup Deliverables – Overall
The workgroup anticipates delivery of a white paper or similar document that incorporates the work noted below:

• A definition of engagement that defines engagement as it pertains to the field of population health management.
• The development of a visual framework that identifies key stakeholders, key levers to engagement and key performance metrics.
• The creation of a value proposition for improving engagement levels within the context of four specific levers: communications, culture/organizational support, rewards & recognition, and technology.
• Define engagement levers and the components of each category.
• Develop guidance on measures, best practices, critical success factors, and strategies for each lever identified above, and disseminate a compilation of tools and resources available in each subject area.
• Recommendations for future research and efforts needed to validate the work completed.

Approach to the Charge:
The following volunteer committees will be formed to accomplish the above deliverables.

• Definition & Framework Work Team
• Communications Work Team
• Culture/Organizational Support Work Team
• Rewards & Recognition Work Team
• Technology Work Team

Upon completion of the workgroup efforts, a smaller group will convene to assemble and organize the information gathered into a report suitable for submission for publication, and possibly resources for health plans, employers, providers, health service companies and consultants to utilize. This report will also allow for the future work of quantifying the value of engagement within the population health management field.