Johns Hopkins ACG® System Enhances Population Health Analytics for Over 250 Million Weekly
The Johns Hopkins ACG® System, developed at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, is a powerful population health analytics tool in use worldwide, improving care for over 250 million people each week. It utilizes sophisticated algorithms to analyze clinical, administrative, and social determinant data from electronic health records and insurance databases, enabling precise understanding of individual and population health risks.
The system supports public health and healthcare providers by identifying health trends, risk stratification, and gaps in care, facilitating interventions for chronic diseases, substance use disorders, and reducing unnecessary emergency visits. It integrates clinical, epidemiological, and statistical data to produce actionable insights that support health policy, risk adjustment, and value-based care models.
Over its 40-year history, the ACG System has evolved through continuous refinement and advanced data science techniques. It now incorporates unstructured data, such as provider notes, to capture social determinants of health affecting underserved populations. This addition enhances equity assessments and detects disparities within populations by revealing hidden morbidity and utilization gaps.
The ACG System is widely adopted by health insurers, hospitals, integrated health systems, and government agencies such as Maryland's Medicaid program, which uses it to uncover health disparities and drive policy improvements. Its implementation across health plans and systems also aids in risk adjustment for payment models and improving care management efficiency.
Johns Hopkins licenses the technology globally through commercial partners, with revenues supporting ongoing research and development at the Center for Population Health IT (CPHIT). Recent investments include a $1.6 million endowment to sustain their mission of creating digital health tools worldwide.
Unlike newer AI technologies, the ACG System’s strength lies in its integration of multidisciplinary expertise and comprehensive health data rather than relying solely on AI. It continues to incorporate AI techniques to enhance its predictive modeling but maintains its core framework grounded in public health principles.
Future development at CPHIT aims to build on or extend the ACG System, ensuring adaptability amid rapid technological advances in data science and digital health parameters. The Center prioritizes improving population health outcomes over developing a specific software product.
The ACG System exemplifies successful tech transfer from academia to practical use in healthcare markets, contributing tens of millions of dollars in royalties to Johns Hopkins while supporting improved health outcomes and informed decision-making across diverse populations.