Patient centered care is an approach to healthcare that prioritizes the needs, values, and preferences of patients. The goal of patient centered care is to deliver healthcare that respects and responds to each patient’s unique priorities, requirements, and beliefs. Patient centered care ensures that patient values guide all clinical decisions.
What Does Patient Centered Care Involve?
Patient centered care involves several key components:
Seeing Patients as Whole People
Providers must understand not just the patient’s illness, but the whole person. This means understanding the patient’s unique psychological, emotional, social, spiritual, and cultural needs. Providers consider how the illness affects the patient’s life and loved ones.
Understanding the Patient Perspective
Providers make an effort to truly understand each patient’s specific experience and perspective. This includes their concerns, needs, values, and preferences.
Sharing Power and Responsibility
Patients are empowered to be active participants in their care. A master physician assistant and other providers encourage patients to take part in decision-making and care planning.
Building Strong Patient-Provider Relationships
Developing relationships based on trust, understanding, and good communication is key. Patients are treated as partners in the care process.
Customizing Care
Care is tailored to match the patient’s clinical needs as well as their personal preferences. This means care plans are individualized for each patient.
Why Patient Centered Care Matters
Research shows that patient centered care offers many benefits, including:
- Increased patient satisfaction
- Improved health outcomes
- Enhanced quality of life
- Reduced healthcare costs
- Increased patient adherence to treatment plans
- Decreased risk of medical errors
- Reduced provider burnout
Essentially, patient centered care results in care that is more appropriate, effective, and compassionate.
Implementing Patient Centered Care
Shifting to truly patient centered care requires changes at all levels of the healthcare system. Some strategies include:
Educating Providers
Providers must develop skills in communication, empathy, shared decision making, and relationship building. Cultural competence training is also key.
Modifying Policies and Procedures
Systems and processes should be restructured to accommodate patient needs and preferences. For example, scheduling longer appointments to allow adequate time with each patient.
Redesigning Facilities
Clinics and hospitals can be designed to be calming, comfortable, and welcoming to patients and families. For example, single patient rooms allow privacy.
Utilizing Technology
Tools like patient portals and telehealth give patients greater access to care and health information. Apps and wearables empower patients to monitor their health.
Measuring Patient Experience
Survey feedback and real-time assessment provides insight on where and how to improve care delivery from a patient perspective.
Promoting Patient Education and Engagement
Programs to boost health literacy, self-care skills, and active participation in care help get patients more involved.
Improving Access to Care
Convenient scheduling, transportation assistance, telehealth visits, and community outreach improves access for all patients.
Patient Centered Care Benefits Everyone
The patient centered care philosophy honors the voices, values, and humanity of all people needing healthcare. Applying this compassionate, holistic approach leads to better quality of life for patients and more meaningful work for providers. Overall, it allows the healthcare system to better meet the needs of individual patients.
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