As the end users of health care, consumers are in a unique position to understand what improvements are needed—and often how best to implement them. Consumers across the nation are busy helping AF4Q communities improve health care quality. The way they’re doing this is taking many different forms.
Consumers can improve health care by taking an active role in managing their health. “Our Pathways to Health” is a six-week workshop in California that teaches chronic disease patients and caregivers how to make better health care decisions and partner with providers to improve self-care. Workshop alumni are hospitalized less, seek fewer doctor appointments, and save $4 for every $1 they spend in care.
Putting consumers into positions of authority helps ensure care and information are patient centered. Massachusetts Health Quality Partners (MHQP) is a broad coalition working to improve health care. Their Patient and Public Engagement Council (PPEC) fully integrates consumers into the leadership structure.
The council offers a place where I can contribute my experience as a patient [to create] a more patient-centric system of care.
Rosalind Joffe, PPEC co-chair and patient
In a partnership with Consumer Reports to develop a rating of patient experiences with primary care physicians, the PPEC helped underscore the value of displaying results in a consumer-friendly way. The PPEC also consults on a new MHQP web site that helps consumers make decisions based on health care quality data.
The Patient Family Leadership Team in Maine relies on consumer members to help ensure that patient-centered medical homes meet patient and family needs. Consumers have provided important feedback to help improve areas such as wait time, phone systems, the referral and appointment processes, and more.
Consumer representatives help in a multitude of other ways, including: serving on quality improvement teams, participating in interviews and meetings with individual patients, reviewing web sites and other materials, and more.
What are some ways consumers can help improve health care?
Leadership positions and health care activism are a good start
How do I incorporate consumer engagement into my organization’s strategic plan?
Make it a priority.
Do consumers find certain performance measures—such as readmissions and avoidable complications data—useful?
Yes, but there must be context.
What are the elements of a successful homepage on public reporting websites?
Be visual and succinct.
How do we identify potential consumer partners?
Look for core characteristics.
How do consumers define health care “value”?
A patient-centered approach is a good place to start.
- 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?