TABLE 1. Visualising the methodological steps towards a definition of health management.

Preliminary definition	Health management encompasses the planning, organising, coordinating, and overseeing of resources, processes, and activities of health systems to achieve optimal health outcomes for individuals and populations.
Key concepts suggested for inclusion by focus groups	Broader than ‘healthcare management’—holistic—One Health—digital health—environmental health—intersectoral collaboration—multidisciplinary—different levels of governance—behavioural, social and economic determinants of health—governance structures
Working definition brought to experts for validation	Health management involves providing guidance and leadership to promote health at all levels. It adopts a holistic vision, recognising that health is shaped by behavioural, social, economic, and environmental determinants. Health management includes traditional healthcare management—spanning community, primary, secondary, and tertiary care—it extends beyond these settings to foster collaboration across related policy and societal domains in alignment with the One Health and related approaches.
	Health managers engage with a wide array of stakeholders, including patients, caregivers, patient organisations, policy makers, regulators, public health experts, researchers, and industry representatives. Together, they work to create shared health goals and develop the organizational, societal, and technological foundations necessary for achieving sustainable health outcomes. Health management also emphasises the importance of effective governance structures that support co‐design and co‐production with communities and stakeholders.