Announced in 2010! Institute's New Name: Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care
The Institute is proud to announce that it is changing its name to Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care.
The Institute for Family-Centered Care was established in 1992 to advance the understanding and practice of family-centered care in all settings where individuals of all ages and their families receive care and support. The Institute was founded on the belief that patients of all ages are essential members of the care team.
Much of the Institute's early work focused on advancing family-centered care in pediatric, maternity, and newborn intensive care, where family members in addition to the patient play a crucial role on the care team. Over the last fifteen years, the Institute's work has expanded to include adult and geriatric care, in which patients are involved in their own care. In reality, patients often include their family members as part of the care process, making both patients and families indispensable to the collaborative partnerships that the Institute promotes.
The Institute facilitates patient- and family-centered change by promoting collaborative, empowering relationships among patients, families, and health care professionals. As a result, using either the term "family-centered" or "patient-centered" alone does not adequately describe the Institute. Both patients and family members are essential and valuable as advisors and partners in improving care practices and systems of care.
Over time, the Institute has changed its terminology, and now consistently uses the term patient- and family-centered care in its publications, resources, tools, and education and training efforts. So, it is fitting to have a name that is consistent with our mission.
The Institute has a new address for its website and e-mail to go along with the new name. You can reach the Institute at www.ipfcc.org or institute@ipfcc.org. So, change your address book and bookmarks, but be assured that during the transition, if you use either our new or our old addresses, you will still be able to reach the Institute.
