A Learning Community to Advance Age-Friendly Patient Priorities Care Nationally in the Program of All Inclusive Care...

Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) is comprised of diverse organizations serving different populations that aim to deliver care aligned with what matters most to older adults with multiple chronic conditions but often focus on diseases, social, or functional concerns in isolation. Patient Priorities Care (PPC) provides an evidence-based approach to elicit and align care with what matters most.

The National PACE Association launched a year-long PPC Learning Community (LC) with diverse PACE organizations (PO) across the United States. PO members met monthly to build understanding of PPC, share learnings, implement PPC in their programs, and disseminate lessons to the broader community.

The LC supported PPC uptake into five of six participating POs and as well as the LC's lead's PO. A total of 889 participants received PPC, and 410 staff members were trained. Learning Community members presented in national meetings and created a PPC Guidebook with guidance on training, implementation, and evaluation in this model of care. Members felt the LC built community and promoted accountability through shared learning and feedback. Challenges included limited time for self-directed learning, provider engagement barriers, and the need for continued support for uptake and sustainability.

The LC catalyzed integration of What Matters Most into the PACE model of care using PPC, laying the groundwork for broader adoption. Future peer learning opportunities can ensure sustained momentum and assess impact on utilization, staff satisfaction, and total cost of care.