Meritus Health’s “What Matters Most to You?” strategy was recently highlighted in the Journal for Healthcare Quality through a case study written by Meritus leaders.
The study, “What Matters to You, Matters to Us: A Case Study on Leveraging the Electronic Health Record for Patient-Centered Care”, was authored by Carly Critchfield, M.H.A., supervisor of physician practices at Meritus; Vignesh Prasad, a second-year medical student at Drexel University; and Maulik Joshi, Dr.P.H., president and CEO of Meritus Health and president and professor of the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine.
The initiative involves asking every patient the question: “What matters most to you?” Responses are documented in the medical record to guide care planning and improve communication between patients and providers. To date, more than 80,000 responses have been collected.
Patient responses have included priorities such as “Keeping energy up,” “Tending garden, pets and family,” and “My kid in my life, making sure that I am able to have a job to provide for him.”
An analysis of responses identified the top categories as:
- Family and relationships (38%)
- Well-being
- Health concerns
- Lifestyle
- Religion and faith
According to the authors, health status is influenced by more than medical care alone, and understanding patient values and life context is essential for improving both outcomes and overall population health.
Meritus Health described the approach as the foundation of personalized, patient-centered care. Leaders emphasized that listening to patients and shaping care plans around their priorities has strengthened provider relationships and improved outcomes.
The full case study can be found at journals.lww.com/jhqonline by searching for “What Matters to You, Matters to Us.” Additional information is also available at Meritus Health’s website: Meritus “What Matters Most to You?” Strategy.
Photo credits to Meritus Health
