Clients and professionals elicit long‐term care preferences by using ‘What matters to me’: A process evaluation in the Netherlands

BACKGROUND: ‘What matters to me’ is a five‐category preference elicitation tool to assist clients and professionals in choosing long‐term care. This study aimed to evaluate the use of and experiences with this tool. METHODS: A mixed‐method process evaluation was applied. Participants were 71 clients or relatives, and 12 professionals. They were all involved in decision‐making on long‐term care. Data collection comprised online user activity logs (N = 71), questionnaires (N = 38) and interviews (N = 20). Descriptive statistics was used for quantitative data, and a thematic analysis for qualitative data. RESULTS: Sixty‐nine per cent of participants completed one or more categories in an average time of 6.9 (±0.03) minutes. The tool was rated 6.63 (±0.88) of 7 in the Post‐Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ). Ninety‐five per cent experienced the tool as useful in practice. Suggestions for improvement included a separate version for relatives and a non‐digital version. Although professionals thought the potentially extended consultation time could be problematic, all participants would recommend the tool to others. CONCLUSION: ‘What matters to me’ seems useful to assist clients and professionals with preference elicitation in long‐term care. Evaluation of the impact on consultations between clients and professionals by using ‘What matters to me’ is needed.