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At Health Quality BC, we believe that asking “What matters to you?” builds the trust and relationships that are essential to person- and family-centred care.

What is “What Matters to You?” Day?

“What Matters to You?” (WMTY) is an international movement that encourages meaningful conversations between health care providers, patients, caregivers and families. The goal of asking this simple yet powerful question is to move away from “what’s the matter” and toward understanding what really matters most to patients and their caregivers.

Each year, International “What Matters to You?” Day is celebrated in June. While a single day of action is important, we encourage you to have “What Matters to You?” conversations each and every day with the people you support and care for.

Ways to Get Involved

Whether you’re a health care provider, caregiver or patient, everyone has a role to play in making conversations about what matters a part of everyday care.

Taking part in International “What Matters to You?” Day is a great way to start. From raising awareness to putting the question into practice, even small actions can help build stronger connections and improve care experiences.

Here are a few simple ways to get involved.

Promote It

Promote the day by making “What matters to you?” visible and part of everyday conversations.

  • Put up posters in patient waiting areas or share digital slides in common spaces.
  • Start team huddles by asking “What matters to you?” to spark meaningful connections.
  • Write a short article about the importance of WMTY in your organization’s newsletter. Use our article ideas to help you get started.

Take Part

Whether you’re providing care or receiving it, small actions can bring “What matters to you?” into everyday practice.

  • If you’re a health care provider, ask patients what matters to them and include it in their care.
  • Create a “What matters to you?” mural or tree where people can post what matters to them.
  • If you’re a patient, think about what matters to you, write it down and bring it to your next appointment. Use our patient postcard to guide you.

Share What Matters

Share your experiences to help others see the impact of asking “What matters to you?”

  • At a team huddle, talk about how it felt to ask the question, what themes came up and how it could become a daily habit.
  • Share a meaningful “What matters to you?” story in your next team meeting or newsletter.
  • If you use social media, post about the impact of your conversation to help spread the word.

Need More Ideas?

We’ve created a How to Get Ready for International “What Matters to You?” Day Tip Sheet with ideas and examples to help you bring this question into your everyday work.

Most Important of All: Act on It

No matter how you participate, remember it’s not just about asking the question. It’s about what happens next.

Ask what matters. Listen to what matters. Then do what matters.

This June, join us in making “What Matters to You?” a question we ask not just on one day but every day.