Guiding Age-Friendly Care Through “What Matters”: Restoring the Whole Person Back into Clinical Practice

Abstract

Clinical practice guidelines relying exclusively on evidence from single-disease trials are not designed to meet the needs of older adults with multiple chronic conditions (MCC). Guidelines do not always consider the time to benefit of treatments and often include trials where persons with MCC are excluded. Clinicians can use “what matters” (i.e., health values and outcome goals) to guide decision-making when chronic disease guidelines are conflicting and burdensome. Genuine desire to explore what is most important to an older adult, with specific training in priorities identification, is necessary to have meaningful conversations and gain patient trust. Patient Priorities Care (PPC) is an evidence-based approach that guides healthcare professionals in their ability to tailor treatment recommendations based on the older adult’s values, care preferences, and outcome goals (i.e., health priorities). PPC has been shown to increase home and community services, reduce treatment burden, and align care to achieve healthcare goals that honor what matters most to older adults. PPC benefits patients, care partners, and clinicians with the potential to reduce clinician burnout and restore joy in healthcare practice. Guiding healthcare by “what matters” encourages clinicians to embrace the whole person, uniting communication and decision-making around shared health priorities.