A term used in the health assessment of an entire group of people. “Population” often refers to those in a certain geographic area or with the same characteristics, but it can also refer to those cared for by a particular health care provider or whose care is covered by the same insurer or other payer. Additionally, it could refer to primary care patients or another set of patients in the health care system. Although sometimes interchanged with the term public health, it invokes a broader connotation regarding efforts to promote health and prevent disease.
