The Hartford Foundation, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, American Hospital Association, and the Catholic Health Association among other agencies are promoting a healthcare system that we want for ourselves and others. Recognizing the need for improved care for the nation’s largest patient population – those living with 2 or more chronic conditions, or multiple chronic conditions (MCC).

The goals are to establish an Age-Friendly Health System that employs the 4-Ms to support the comprehensive care needs for this patient population. Patients living with MCCs their families and caregivers often experience multiple care systems – hospital, primary care, home health, long-term-care etc. and the 4Ms can be used to optimize and ensure safe healthcare.

• WHAT MATTERS healthcare that is individualized based on patient and family preferences and used to align care throughout all care settings including palliative and end-of life care.
• MEDICATIONS safe prescribing, reducing polypharmacy and ensuring that medications are not affecting what matters, mentation, or mobility.
• MENTATION recognizing, preventing, and effectively managing dementia, depression and/or delirium across care settings.
• MOBILITY maintaining safe physical functioning to ensure activities that allow patients to engage in what matters to them.