How was WMTY formed? 

More than ten years ago, Maureen Bisognano, President Emerita of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, sparked a global movement by proposing that, in addition to caregivers asking “what is the matter with you, they also ask “What matters to you”? From that simple question, a global movement began to give power to patients. 

This shift transformed care for millions by treating patients as human beings with lives, hopes, dreams, fears, and agency. 

Why does our community need WMTY?

We live in the wealthiest nation on earth, yet our health outcomes lag behind almost every other industrialized nation. That’s because we have chronically overinvested in treatment and underinvested in our communities.

While countries like France and Sweden invest heavily in public health and the social fabric of neighborhoods and communities, the U.S. spends an average of $15,500 per person annually on individual treatment. We are told, “Yes, but we can’t prioritize neighborhoods and communities here. We’re too big. There are too many people.” But we can. It’s possible. 

Today, in Cleveland, we are evolving that conversation once again. At Greater Cleveland Congregations (GCC), we know that health doesn’t start in a doctor’s office. It starts where we live, work, play and pray. Through the launch of the What Matters to You – Cleveland Chapter (WMTY-Cleveland) with GCC,  we are asking a third, essential question: “What matters to your community?”

How did you become involved in this work?

This is the culmination of my 30 years as founder of Dynamis Advisors, Inc., where I partnered with a team of national leaders – doctors, architects and urban planners – to transform obsolete, safety-net hospitals into Healthy Villages®. Together, we guided the design of more than 120 Healthy Villages across 20 states.

What’s a Healthy Village?

Think of a Healthy Village as a shopping mall for wellness. In a traditional mall, the “anchor tenants” might be large department stores designed to drive lots of foot traffic. Then there are dozens of smaller stores, kiosks and other vendors, a food court, and so on. In a Healthy Village, the “anchor” is a primary care practice, but the other tenants are chosen specifically to address the Social Drivers of Health (SDOH).

A typical Healthy Village might include things like affordable housing, primary care, behavioral health resources, workforce training, childcare, education, legal services, and access to fresh, local, nutritious food – all within walking distance.

How will the work of WMTY  impact neighborhoods in Cleveland?

While my career has focused on large-scale hospital transformations, my work with What Matters to You – Cleveland and GCC is focused on neighborhoods. Together, we are moving toward what GCC is calling Healthy Blocks by establishing trusted networks of care right within our communities.

What is a GCC Healthy Block?

In a GCC Healthy Block, a primary care practice acts as sort of like a “train station” for the neighborhood. Nurse practitioners will know your name, and neighbors are connected by Health Connectors and even mutual-aid “text chains” to check in on seniors and share resources. 

We are building this infrastructure because while the for-profit American healthcare system has never been overly concerned with the health and well-being of our most vulnerable neighbors, it’s about to get much worse. We are currently facing some of the largest proposed cuts to healthcare in U.S. history.