Discovering “What Matters” to patients: A quality improvement project

As the aging population (65 years or older) in the United States continues to grow, the demand for comprehensive, safe, and high-quality care continues to increase. Older adults typically have complex health needs and often experience multiple chronic medical conditions.1 Hospital admissions put these patients at a higher risk for geriatric syndromes such as delirium or falls.2 To address the challenges in the older adult population, the John A. Hartford Foundation, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in partnership with the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association launched the Age-Friendly Health System initiative.3 This initiative follows a set of evidence-based practices that prevents harm and aligns care with what matters to the older adult. Age-friendly Health Systems (AFHS) recognize that older adults have a unique set of needs and strive to optimize their care. To guide clinicians to provide care for these complex aging patients, the “4 M's” were developed to provide a more objective and concise way to care for older adults. These include, “What Matters,” “Medication”, “Mentation” and “Mobility”.4 While all elements of the 4Ms are important, the focus of this project was on “What Matters” which is a key element of patient-centered care. The “What Matters” conversations had between providers and patients shift the conversations away from disease processes and instead focus on their health goals, care preferences, and what matters most to patients more individually and holistically.

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