​When IHI first developed the Triple Aim framework in 2007, the idea of trying to improve the patient care experience, improve the health of a population, and reduce per capita health care costs at the same time was considered somewhat radical. It took years for such an ambitious concept, and the words used to describe it, to enter the health care mainstream. The words "Triple Aim," however, and the terms that are part of its lexicon, are often misused. This primer offers practical guidance on how to make sense of and use population-focused terminology and Triple Aim terminology (including “Triple Aim,” “IHI Triple Aim,” and “IHI Triple Aim Initiative”).

*Note: This content was also posted on the IHI blog in October 2014.