Health professionals across all disciplines--physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, respiratory therapists, child life specialists, occupational therapists, and others—have the opportunity to advance the practice of patient- and family-centered care during every clinical encounter. They do so by welcoming patients and families as partners in care—acknowledging patient and family expertise and strengths, encouraging their input, and acknowledging the value of their observations and perceptions. Such clinicians collaborate with patients and families to develop care plans and evaluate ongoing care. These individual partnerships are strengthened by institutional leadership and policies that promote patient- and family-centered care through education, resources, and support for health care providers.
“As a parent, to me, patient- and family-centered care means collaborating with health care professionals. When I bring my son in to the hospital then I want to be part of the team.”
Family Leader and Director
MCGHealth
Augusta, Georgia
In addition to collaborating at the clinical level, clinicians are also advancing patient- and family-centered care through partnerships at the policy and program level. Opportunities to collaborate with patients and families exist through task forces or other working committees, patient and family advisory boards, design planning teams, staff educational programs, and quality improvement initiatives or other evaluation activities. Similar to collaborating with patients and families at the clinical level, these partnerships may require new skills and knowledge.
Profiles of Change
Read more about health care organizations that are leaders in collaboration between patients, family members, and providers. Profiles of Change