Developing a Plan for Engaging Consumers

This section covers the steps the planning team should consider when developing an organization-level strategy for engaging consumers and discusses four broad categories of engagement. The steps outlined here include assessing preexisting engagement policies, gathering data on the patient population and community, selecting engagement strategies, and building an outreach plan. While these steps are presented in a linear fashion, this process is, in fact, an iterative process. The planning workgroup should actively seek feedback from patients, community members and staff throughout this process and be prepared to revise the strategy as necessary. It may be helpful for workgroup members to intentionally implement a quality improvement framework such as Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA).

Note: This section describes four engagement strategy categories; Collaboration, Co-ownership, Communication and Consultation. Health care organizations are often already familiar with the Communication and Consultation strategies typified by the one-way flow of information to or from consumers. While these strategies are an acceptable component of a larger plan, organizations that are truly dedicated to person-centered engagement must also incorporate Collaboration and/or Co-ownership strategies that foster bidirectional information exchange.

Key steps for the planning team in strategy development

• Ensure the planning team includes members who represent the diversity of the patient population being served.
• Work with frontline organization staff to survey existing consumer engagement policies and approaches at the organizational, service line and departmental levels.
• Analyze performance on available patient-reported measures, after visit surveys and any other patient-centered measures to understand areas of strength and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Analyze and summarize data on the organization’s patient population and the broader community to inform outreach strategies aimed at recruiting diverse participation that is reflective of the organization’s patient mix and the broader community.
• Develop short-term and long-term action items that are measurable, attainable and incorporated into the organization’s larger strategic goals. Ensure these measurable items reflect the importance of staff education, readiness to participate, and progress on the development of accessible consumer outreach and meeting strategies.
• Review and select potential consumer engagement strategies to implement and consider the pros and cons of each approach. There is a range of potential engagement strategies organizations can use as described in the graphics at the end of this section.
• Develop a preliminary outreach plan for the selected engagement strategies, leveraging any existing opportunities to interact with consumers. Potential opportunities for outreach include service recovery calls, telephone on-hold messages, websites, handbooks, in-clinic flyers, and direct invitations from staff members during patient interactions. Outreach strategies should also incorporate direct appeals to community members and community-based organizations that can assist with engaging people who may not be active consumers but can still share valuable insight on broader community needs.

Resources

1. Foundational Materials
   • National Academy of Medicine: Framework for Patient and Family Engaged Care
   • Planetree: Patient and Family Partnership Council and Beyond Primer
   • Networks of Opportunity for Child Wellbeing: Community Engagement Resources
   • Institute for Patient and Family Centered Care: Strategies for Changing Policies
2. Tips and Tools
   • Planetree: Improving Physician Interactions Coaching Checklist
   • Planetree: Leadership Rounding Tool
   • Planetree: Long-Term Care Improvement Guide
   • ReThink Health: Resident Engagement Planning Toolkit
3. Additional Resources
   • Planetree: Process Improvement Tips and Tools
   • Planetree: PDSA Improvement Worksheet for Teams
   • International Association for Public Participation: Spectrum of Public Participation
   • US Department of Health and Human Services et al., Principles of Community Engagement