A Quality Debate: Has COVID-19 Put an End to Quality Improvement?
Posted in on March 11, 2022
A “What Matters to You?” Resource for Health Care Providers
Posted in on February 23, 2022
What Matters to You?
What Matters to You?
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In partnership with the Patient Voices Network’s Oversight & Advisory Committee and health care organizations across the province, we are encouraging providers to have “What matters to you?” conversations each and every day with the people they support or care for. Because patients are the true experts on their own needs and experiences, asking, listening and responding to what matters to patients is a key feature of person- and family-centred care.
From new, virtual health care services to the findings of the In Plain Sight report, the past year has provided many examples of why person- and family-centred care is so important.
Having conversations about what matters is a great way to build the trust and connections which form the foundation of person- and family-centred care. That’s why we’ve created new “What Matters to You?” resources to support communication while wearing personal protective equipment, and to help patients and health care providers have successful virtual appointments. Those materials – and many others are available to download and order now.
Stay tuned – we’re continually creating and adapting “What Matters to You?” resources to respond to current needs within the health care system and to support care providers to provide care that is culturally safe and free of prejudice and discrimination.
Share Your “What Matters to You?” Stories
We love telling stories about conversations which were started by asking, “What matters to you?”. How did you feel when you were asked what matters, or how did you change your approach after you learned what was important to a patient, family member or caregiver? We’d love to share your story – submit it here or share it on Twitter with the hashtag #WMTY.
Culturally Safe Engagement: What Matters to Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) Patient Partners
Companion Guide
This guide to creating culturally safe engagements was created from the voices of Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) patient partners. From these meaningful discussions, eight key principles emerged along with a series of recommended actions to help and encourage health care partners to provide culturally safe patient engagement opportunities.
Download the Guide
Pamphlet
This pamphlet serves as an at-a-glance version of the Companion Guide.
Download the Pamphlet
Blog Posts About "What Matters to You?"
What Matters to You? Video Resources
Learn More About "What Matters to You?"
“What matters to you?” is a simple question that can have a big impact on care. When providers have a conversation about what really matters to the people they care for, it helps them ensure that care is aligned with patient preferences and provide more patient- and family-centred care.
Taking part is easy! Order “What Matters to You?” resources to show your commitment to patient- and family-centred care. Then, have conversations about what matters. If you are a health care provider, ask your patients or clients that simple question: “What matters to you?” For health care providers, we encourage you to embed this question into your practice each and every day. If you are a patient, we invite you to take time before your visit to reflect on what matters most to you, and to share it with your health care provider. It’s that simple.
We’d love you to tell us about your “What matters to you?” conversations. Please fill out our story submission form and tell us all about your experiences. We’d love to hear from you!
We’ve developed some resources to help raise awareness about “What Matters to You?”, including:
- posters
- lanyards
- lanyard cards
- bookmarks
- buttons
- stickers
You can order or download these free resources on our website, or by giving us a call at 604.668.8210. Find out where around the province people are using “What Matters to You?” resources with our heat map.
From a provider’s perspective, the question “What matters to you?” can be asked in many different ways. For example:
- “What are the things that are important to you at the moment?”
- “What are some of the things you would like to achieve as a result of our work together?”
- “What can I do to best support you in your care today?”
- “When you have a good day, what are the things that make it good?”
- “Is there anything else you want to tell me that I haven’t asked you about?”
- “What are your goals and wishes today and how can I help you achieve them?”
If you are a patient or caregiver, prepare for your health care visits by reflecting on what matters to you. Try putting distracting sounds and thoughts to the side for just a moment and focus on your breathing. Think about who you are and what you are facing right now, what is the most important thing that comes to mind that you wish your care team knew about you?
If you are a family member of a patient, what comes to mind that you want the care team to know about you and your loved one who is being cared for? For some people, bringing written notes to a health care appointment can be helpful. And remember, you don’t necessarily need to wait to be asked! Take the initiative to tell your health care provider what matters to you.
If you’re a provider, you might think that your patients already feel like they can speak with you honestly and directly about what they need. But some patients don’t feel safe speaking up in health care encounters. Here are some things to consider:
- Consider cultural differences. For instance, many Indigenous people have had negative experiences that impact their trust and confidence in the health care system. Seek to understand your patients by asking questions. Understanding your own personal biases (we all have them) as a provider and respecting differences in beliefs, practices and communication styles is an important part of understanding what matters to them.
- Make time for questions. At the end of a health care encounter, patients may be processing what you have told them, or feel like they are out of time. Take a few minutes to stop and ask, “Have I given you all the information you need?” or “Do you have any other questions for me?”
Often in conversations we don’t really listen to what is being said. “What Matters to You?” is about encouraging people to listen more deeply, in order to truly understand what is being communicated. “What Matters to You?” provides an opportunity to pause and think about how well we are listening to others.
Here are some ideas that can help improve our ability to listen:
- Take a few minutes at the end of each day to reflect on the conversations you had.
- Did you spend more time listening or talking?
- Did you listen to understand, or were you waiting for your turn to speak?
- Listen with an open mind. In doing this, try to see from the other person’s point of view to understand what is important to them. Remember that listening involves more than your ears. Signals such as making eye contact, nodding, and leaning in can also demonstrate that you are paying attention.
- Relationships require both people to make an effort. Listen to others the way you want to be listened to.
- Repeat back what you have heard, to check that you understood what the other person meant to say. This is called “closed loop communication.”
- After you ask, “What matters to you?” give the other person time to talk without interrupting. Try silently counting to ten after they finish speaking before saying something, as they might just be pausing between thoughts.