Interventions to support patients with complex needs are proliferating. However, little attention has been paid to methods for identifying complex patients. This study aims to summarize approaches used to define populations with complex needs in practice, by cataloging specific population criteria and organizing them into a taxonomy. The authors conducted a pragmatic review of literature published January 2000-December 2018 using PubMed. Search results were limited to English-language studies of adults that specified a set of objective criteria to identify a population with complex needs. The authors abstracted data from each article on population parameters, and conducted thematic analysis guided by deductive coding. The review identified 70 studies reflecting 90 unique complex population definitions. Complex populations criteria reflected 3 approaches: stratification, segmentation, and targeting. Six domains of population criteria were found within, including age-based criteria (59 populations); income (12); health care costs (45); health care utilization (39); health conditions (35); and subjective criteria (15). Criteria from multiple domains were frequently used in combination, and exact specifications were highly variable within each domain. Overall, 83% of the 90 population definitions included at least 1 cost- or utilization-based criterion. Nearly every study in the review presented a unique approach to identifying patients with complex needs but a limited number of “schools of thought” were found. Variability in definitions and inconsistent terminology are potential sources of ambiguity between stakeholders. Greater specificity and transparency in complex population definition would be a substantial contribution to the emerging field of complex care.
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