Podcast Summary: How Hackensack Meridian Health Is Evolving Population Health at Scale
Becker’s Healthcare Podcast
Date: January 29, 2026
Guest: Patrick Young, President of Population Health, Hackensack Meridian Health
Host: Scott Becker
Episode Overview
In this episode, Scott Becker interviews Patrick Young, a long-standing and pivotal leader at Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH). The discussion centers on how population health at HMH has evolved and scaled over the past decade. Patrick provides insights into the organization’s strategic priorities, the integration of advanced technologies such as AI, the expansion of home care, and his leadership philosophy emphasizing fundamentals. The conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at how a major health system adapts to industry changes while keeping patient care and organizational sustainability at the forefront.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Patrick Young’s Role & Scope at HMH
[01:17–03:11]
- Overview: Patrick Young has led Population Health at HMH for nearly 11 years and oversees a broad array of functions:
- Payer Contracting
- Care Management: Including nurses, social workers, and hospital discharge planning
- Home Care Division: $160M business, encompasses home care, private duty, and dialysis
- Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Program: Rapid growth, noted success
- Clinically Integrated Network (CIN): Chair of a network with 4,600 physicians
- Community Outreach & Development
- Joint Venture Management: With Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield and Robert Wood Johnson—a 60,000-member Medicare Advantage program
- On HMH:
- 18 hospitals, 500 outpatient sites, 38,000 employees
- Ranked as a top 20 hospital in the nation, and #1 in New Jersey
Notable Quote:
“Population Health means a lot of things to different people...I handle our payer contracting...care management...home care...SDOH program...community outreach and development...It’s a little background about my responsibility and our system.” — Patrick Young [01:17]
2. Current Focus and Excitements in Population Health
[03:34–06:09]
- Contract Negotiations: Ensuring robust, revenue-protecting contracts with payers amidst nationwide contention
- Expansion in Home Care:
- Rapid growth in the division
- Launch of 'hospital from home' model (started with Medically Home, now Dispatch Health)
- Managed 1,031 patient transitions from hospital/ED to home last year
- High satisfaction with these models
- AI and Analytics:
- Active exploration of AI, especially in ambient clinical intelligence for documentation and billing
- Analytics-driven outreach: Using technology (including Care24/7 telehealth) to engage patients
- AI still more analytical in population health; applications for patient engagement are emerging
- Industry Pressures:
- Aware of upcoming pressures in 2026 and 2027 regulatory landscapes (“big beautiful bill”)
- Focused on strategic organizational positioning
Notable Quote:
“AI—everyone’s talking about AI...For POP Health it’s still more analytic based...There’s some applications associated with reaching out to patients...get them engaged in their own healthcare.” — Patrick Young [05:14]
3. Evolution of Population Health at HMH
[06:27–07:41]
- Clinically Integrated Network:
- Growth from 300 to 4,600 physicians in a decade
- Five years: $186 million in shared savings, mainly from commercial payers
- Social Determinants of Health Initiatives:
- Medically tailored meal program for at-risk patients, with ongoing support beyond short-term intervention
- SDOH efforts now a core aspect, not just care quality but quality of life
- Holistic Approaches:
- Integration of technology, practical interventions, and social support has evolved the enterprise
Notable Quote:
“We have become much more sophisticated...improving the quality of their healthcare...But also with Social Determinants of Health program, we are working on the quality of their life.” — Patrick Young [06:54]
4. What Has Surprised Patrick Most About Population Health’s Changes
[08:14–10:15]
- Evolution, Not Revolution:
- Population health has advanced through steady, integrating growth versus sudden change
- Smoother collaboration between care management, contracts, and home care
- Ten years ago, sending patients home directly from ED was unthinkable—technology and new care models have made this possible
- Ecosystem Thinking:
- Shifted from fragmented management of specific populations to integrated care across settings (hospital, ambulatory, home)
- Significant investments in ambulatory and home care footprint
Notable Quote:
“...It’s not just about managing a specific population, but it’s really the entire ecosystem of our healthcare delivery system that we have and how that’s evolving.” — Patrick Young [08:39]
5. Leadership Insights and Advice for Emerging Leaders
[10:38–13:39]
- Prioritize Fundamentals:
- Success hinges on excelling at fundamentals like sound financial stewardship, operational execution, and patient satisfaction
- Fundamentals drive shared savings, revenue generation, and credibility—enabling investment in innovative programs (e.g., tailored meals)
- Funding has evolved from internal to grants/private sources as impact is demonstrated
- Practical Wisdom:
- Avoid getting caught up solely in new trends (“shiny new things”)
- Focusing on basics enables organizations to take calculated risks and expand successfully
- Patient satisfaction, financial health, and staff engagement are building blocks for future growth
Notable Quotes:
“...Stay focused on the fundamentals. I think sometimes individuals become enamorated with what’s next, what’s the next big thing. But the reason why we have been able to expand...is you do the fundamentals extremely well.” — Patrick Young [10:42]
“If you can do those fundamentals well, it really sets the stage for the organization to go beyond what we are doing today...To the extent that you’re doing the fundamentals well, that I think ultimately will allow you to take some risks...” — Patrick Young [12:30]
Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments
-
On Home Care Innovation:
“We enrolled 1,031 patients from the hospital or from the ED into the home. And we manage those individuals...Satisfaction levels are very, very high.” — Patrick Young [04:35] -
On AI in Pop Health:
“For POP Health it’s still more analytic based...applications associated with reaching out to patients...is starting to develop.” — Patrick Young [05:14] -
On Population Health’s Evolution:
“...the integration of how population health has come together, it’s not just about managing a specific population, but it’s really the entire ecosystem...” — Patrick Young [08:39] -
On Leadership:
“...Do the fundamentals well, because if you can do the fundamentals well...that allows you to do other great things within your organization.” — Patrick Young [11:31]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Patrick Young’s Role & HMH Overview: 01:17–03:11
- Current Focus in Population Health: 03:34–06:09
- Evolution of Population Health at HMH: 06:27–07:41
- What Has Surprised Patrick the Most: 08:14–10:15
- Leadership Advice for the Next Generation: 10:38–13:39
Tone and Takeaways
The conversation was pragmatic and upbeat, with Patrick providing actionable insights and a clear-eyed appraisal of both challenges and opportunities. Key themes were organizational integration, measured adoption of innovation, and the enduring value of mastering fundamentals. The scope and ambition of HMH’s population health efforts were made clear throughout.
For listeners, this episode offers an insider’s perspective on how a successful health system operationalizes population health, adapts to changes, and sustains both quality and financial health—delivering takeaways relevant for health leaders at any scale.