Why values matter
What matters to the patient, and why it helps everyone
Care can only follow what a patient values if the team knows it: goals, faith, family, and what they will and will not trade. This page shows what each group gains when those values are known, and where to go next. Every claim links to its source.
For patients & families
Say what matters before a crisis: your goals, your faith needs, and who should speak for you. The practices below give words and steps for those conversations.
For clinicians & care teams
Knowing a patient's values shapes the plan: which treatments to offer, where care happens, and who is in the room. The practice index links each step to its evidence.
For chaplains & communities
Faith and community practices already carry many of these conversations. Each practice names its tradition and its source.
For policy, organizations & researchers
Some public programs, such as hospice quality reporting, measure parts of these conversations. The Data Hub lists each one with its primary source; that is a documented link, not a measured effect.
Educational reference only. Values in Care is not affiliated with CMS or any payer. Not legal, financial, or clinical advice.