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Categories: Campaigns, News & Events, What Matters to You
We’re excited to join partners around the world in supporting International “What Matters to You?” Day!
International “What Matters to You?” Day started in Norway in 2014, with the goal of encouraging meaningful conversations between patients, caregivers, families, and their health care providers. Asking a simple question can have a big impact on quality of care. When providers start a conversation about what really matters to their patients, it helps build trusting relationships. Plus, patients’ preferences as well as person- and family-centred care are prioritized.
And when those things happen, some pretty amazing stories can emerge. Here are a few which have been shared with us recently.
Asking “What Matters to You?” in Kidney Care
Here in BC, Registered Nurse Lianne Berst shared her story about asking “What matters to you?” at the kidney clinic at Kamloops’ Royal Inland Hospital. The clinic’s team asks the question before discussing medical treatments, which opens the door to honest conversations about care that helps its patients feel heard. In Lianne’s “What Matters to You?” story, she explains why this took on added importance when the clinic responded to COVID-19.
Understanding My Stay
Meanwhile, at Northern Health, Quality Improvement Leads, along with patient partners and care providers, developed a patient communication board that standardizes asking the question. Read their story to see how the boards impacted care at acute care sites.
How Patient Partners Add Invaluable Insight to Care
The Measurement System for Physician Quality Improvement aims to make data accessible to support both physician quality improvement and health system planning decisions. Its Quality Measures Group routinely asks patient partners, “What matters to you?” – read on to find out how their answers have guided how the group will be measuring patients’ experiences and outcomes.
A Letter to My Daughter
Our final story comes from a letter written and shared by Katie Cochran, a Registered Nurse living in Vancouver who works in pediatrics and has a passion for person- and family-centred care. Katie is a mother to a vibrant 15-month-old who is always keeping Katie on her toes. Katie wrote this letter to her daughter while reflecting on her learnings about “What Matters to You?”
Get Involved with “What Matters to You?”
Download and Order Resources
We’ve created a number of resources to help you spread the word about “What Matters to You?” in your workplace, school or community! We’ve got buttons, lanyards, posters, graphics, videos, PDF documents and templates that make it easy. Simply download them from here or use the order form to request free resources.
Share Your Stories
Join us to help spread kindness and compassion by sharing your stories of when you were asked what mattered by a care provider or when, as a care provider, you asked what mattered to a patient, family, or caregiver. Use the hashtags #WMTYBC and #WMTY21 on Twitter or tell us your story – we’ll be sharing them on International “What Matters to You?” Day and beyond. Our hope is that these stories will inspire you to take the time to ask someone, “What matters to you?”
