Using Appreciative Inquiry to Optimize a Person-Centered Care Training Program for Clinical Champions in Rural...

Person-centered care (PCC) involves shared decision-making between the individual and provider and is widely recognized as the gold standard of care. However, not all organizations have successfully implemented PCC, especially those in rural settings with limited resources. Implementation strategies, such as clinical champions, are key to PCC uptake. The purpose of the current article is to illustrate how Appreciative Inquiry, a strengths-based framework for transformational change, can be used to optimize a successful PCC champion training program. Appreciative Inquiry employs the quality improvement processes of (a) define, (b) discover, (c) dream, (d) design, and (e) deliver/destiny. Using Appreciative Inquiry, we were able to identify three new long-term goals and add supporting features to an existing champion training program. The methods developed herein could be implemented by researchers and evidence-based practice councils to improve the care of older adults in any care setting to make it more person-centered. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 47(8), 7-12.].