In a sign of the rapidly growing importance of population health, Boston-based Partners HealthCare and its insurer, Neighborhood Health Plan, have created a new position: vice president for  population-health finance.

Douglas Thompson will be the first executive to oversee population-health finance operations for both Partners and NHP. He is to provide leadership on care integration and in promoting new population-health models, including payment mechanisms and investments.

Mr. Thompson has been chief financial officer  for Neighborhood Health Plan since 2014, a position he will retain in addition to his new job.