Developing a Population Health Management Dashboard for Belgium: a focus group study with mock-up design

BackgroundThe necessary data for delivering targeted population health management (PHM) interventions in Belgium is insufficient and scattered due to limited, non- interoperable data sources. Insights on data availability, user needs, and analysis capabilities should be obtained to develop a Belgian PHM dashboard. We aimed to identify visual, content, and access requirements for a PHM dashboard, and visualize user needs through a mock-up dashboard to enhance quintuple aim. MethodsFive focus groups were conducted in three Belgian locoregional health networks (collaborations of primary care zones), comprising 35 potential future dashboard users with various backgrounds. Insights were gathered using open-ended questions based on frameworks of successful international examples. These insights were incorporated into a mock-up dashboard. Subsequently, the mock-up dashboard was discussed in a second round of focus groups. Data from the focus groups were analysed using the Qualitative Analysis Guide of Leuven (QUAGOL) method. ResultsDifferentiated user requirements can be classified into: (1) General Exploration allowing for assessing the health and socioeconomic status and risk factors in a region using PHM indicators, (2) Risk Stratification and Selection of Interventions enabling matching of resources and interventions to at-risk subpopulations, (3) Research Community providing advanced tools for data exploration and collaboration with the research community. The mock-up dashboard meets these requirements according to respondents, by supporting population health managers, healthcare professionals and policymakers with easy access to insights and expert population health managers, such as researchers and data analysts, with options for advanced data analysis. ConclusionsOur study identified exploration, risk stratification, intervention selection and advanced data analysis as key components of an interoperable and customizable dashboard, contributing to a more efficient and equitable healthcare system. The developed PHM mock-up dashboard encapsulates these features, aiming to achieve the quintuple aim in Belgium.