Dig Deeper
You know well that the perspective of consumers is critical to Alliance success and understand how health care quality depends on the involvement of all parties. Below are some ways you can ensure consumers are fully integrated into your leadership team.
Equip. Prepare materials to help “onboard” (orient) consumers. The onboarding toolkit introduces your organization, makes the case for quality improvement, defines roles and responsibilities, and includes background materials.
Point consumers to these four tools designed to help them define their role, facilitate action, and ensure accountability.
Ensure Equality. Ensure proportionate numbers of consumer leader members. Consumers can’t be a meaningful part of your leadership team without clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and rights. A governing document should highlight each member’s role (and vote) equal to that of others. Discussion should be free of jargon. All members should be addressed in the same manner.
Showcase. Highlight the experiences, achievements, and viewpoints of consumers on your leadership team in venues including your website, meeting agendas, AF4Q materials, interviews with journalists, etc.
Create a Consumer Advisory Council. If you don’t have one already, consider adding a council, board, or body to your Alliance governance to help shape and advise on AF4Q initiatives. Alliances have adopted Consumer Advisory Councils, Consumer Advisory Boards, Consumer Engagement Taskforces, and Expert Panels to serve in various capacities.
What are some ways consumers can help improve health care?
Leadership positions and health care activism are a good start
What are the elements of a successful homepage on public reporting websites?
Be visual and succinct.
How do I clarify my role as a consumer within my organization or Alliance?
Use the organizational framework.
Why worry about hospital readmissions?
They are costly and often avoidable.
How do we help employers maintain their interest and energy in our partnership?
Be active and inclusive.
What role do employers play in improving care quality?
A central role, if they take certain steps.
- Why do consumers need to know how much things cost?
- How do we help employers maintain their interest and energy in our partnership?
- What role do employers play in improving care quality?
- What frameworks can I use to engage and activate consumers?
- What are the benefits of personal health records?
- What is the Consumer Engagement Leadership Consortium?
- Where should I incorporate consumers into my practice or hospital?
- How do you explain the idea of “high-quality health care"?
- How do I clarify my role as a consumer within my organization or Alliance?
- How do I become a better consumer leader?