Getting Started
Getting Started
THE PRACTICE
OF PATIENT- AND
FAMILY-CENTERED
CARE IN HOSPITALS
How to Get Started…
ADVANCING THE PRACTICE OF PATIENT- AND FAMILY-CENTERED CARE: HOW TO GET STARTED
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W
hat is patient- and family-centered care? Why does it matter? How does it fit with
our hospital’s overall mission? And finally, what can our hospital do to advance
the practice of patient- and family-centered care? Where do we start?
Today, hospital leaders, staff, patients, and families nationwide are asking these questions.
The purpose of this document is to provide some answers.
Part I, provides a rationale for a patient- and family-centered approach to care, and defines its
core concepts.
Part II, outlines steps a hospital can take to begin to create partnerships with patients and
families, and offers practical suggestions for getting started.
Part III, “The Role of Leaders” outlines the various roles and related action steps for leaders
to implement to build the infrastructure to support and sustain effective partnerships with
patients and families.
Part IV, “Where Do We Stand?,” provides a self-assessment tool that hospitals can use to de-
termine the degree to which patient- and family-centered approaches are embedded in their
current organizational culture.
Part V, “Selecting, Preparing, and Supporting Patient and Family Advisors,” offers practical
guidance for beginning the process of identifying, recruiting, and sustaining the involve-
ment of advisors.
Part VI, “A Checklist for Attitudes About Partnering with Patients and Families,” provides
a tool for gathering information about the perceptions and attitudes of staff and adminis-
trative leaders.
Part VII lists selected print and audiovisual resources.
Rationale
In their efforts to improve health care quality and safety, hospital leaders today increasingly
realize the importance of including a perspective too long missing from the health care equa-
tion: the perspective of patients and families. The experience of care, as perceived by the
patient and family, is a key factor in health care quality and safety.
Bringing the perspectives of patients and families directly into the planning, delivery, and
evaluation of health care, and thereby improving its quality and safety is what patient- and
family-centered care is all about. Studies and experience increasingly show that when health
care administrators, providers, and patients and families work in partnership, the quality and
safety of health care rise, costs decrease, and provider and patient satisfaction increase.
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Core Concepts
WW Dignity and Respect. Health care practitioners listen to and hon-
or patient and family perspectives and choices. Patient and family
knowledge, values, beliefs, and cultural backgrounds are incorpo-
rated into the planning and delivery of care.
WW Information Sharing. Health care practitioners communicate
and share complete and unbiased information with patients and
families in ways that are affirming and useful. Patients and families
receive timely, complete, and accurate information in order to ef-
fectively participate in care and decision-making.
WW Participation. Patients and families are encouraged and sup-
ported in participating in care and decision-making at the lev-
el they choose.
WW Collaboration. Patients, families, health care practitioners, and
health care leaders collaborate in policy and program development,
implementation, and evaluation; in facility design; in research; and
in professional education, as well as in the delivery of care.
“We envisage patients as essential and respected partners in their own care and in the design and
execution of all aspects of healthcare. In this new world of healthcare:
Organizations publicly and consistently affirm the centrality of patient- and family-
centered care. They seek out patients, listen to them, hear their stories, are open and honest
with them, and take action with them.”
Leape, Berwick, Clancy, Conway, et al. (2009). Transforming Healthcare:
A Safety Imperative. BMJ’s Quality and Safety in Health Care
The IOM report, Best Care at Lower Cost: The Path to Continuously Learning Health
Care in America, offers ten key recommendations; the fourth states:
“In a learning health care system, patient needs and perspectives are factored into the design of
health care processes, the creation and use of technologies, and the training of clinicians.”
IOM Committee on the Learning
Health Care System in America. (2013)
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PART II: MOVING FORWARD WITH PATIENT- AND FAMILY-
CENTERED CARE: ONE STEP AT A TIME
Establishing patient- and family-centered care requires a long-term commitment. It entails
transforming the organizational culture. This approach to care is a journey, not a destina-
tion—one that requires continual exploration and evaluation of new ways to collaborate
with patients and families.
The following steps can help set a hospital or health system on its journey toward patient-
and family-centered care.
1. Implement a process for all senior leaders to learn about patient- and family-centered
care. Include patients, families, and staff from all disciplines in this process.
2. Identify an executive sponsor(s) for patient- and family-centered care. Designate a staff
liaison for collaborative endeavors to facilitate the process for development of sustained
partnerships with patients and families and support their involvement throughout the
organization
3. Appoint a patient- and family-centered steering committee comprised of patients and
families and formal and informal leaders of the organization.
4. Assess the extent to which the concepts and principles of patient- and family-centered
care are currently implemented within your hospital or health system. (A brief initial
self-assessment tool appears in Part IV of this document.)
5. On the basis of the assessment, set priorities and develop an action plan for establishing
patient- and family-centered care at your institution.
6. Using the action plan as a guide, begin to incorporate patient- and family-centered con-
cepts and strategies into the hospital’s strategic priorities. Make sure that these concepts are
integrated into your organization’s mission, philosophy of care, and definition of quality.
7. Invite patients and families to serve as advisors in a variety of ways. Appoint some of
these individuals to key committees and task forces.
8. Provide education and support to patients, families, and staff on patient- and family-
centered care and on how to collaborate effectively in quality improvement and health
care redesign. For example, provide opportunities for administrators and clinical staff to
hear patients and family members share stories of their health care experiences during
orientation and continuing education programs.
9. Monitor changes made, evaluate processes, measure the impact, continue to advance
practice, and celebrate and recognize success.
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PART III: THE ROLE OF LEADERS IN BUILDING THE
INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT AND SUSTAIN
EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS
Hospitals that have been successful in partnering with patients and families to advance pa-
tient- and family-centered care have leaders who understand that their commitment and
their support is essential. This section lists roles and action steps that leaders can use to guide
their efforts.
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Leaders put systems in place to • Measure the effect of patient- and family-cen-
measure the outcomes of collabora- tered care on key outcomes.
tive processes. • Document the efforts and impact of patient and
family advisors.
• Share outcomes with leaders, clinicians, staff, pa-
tients, families, and community members.
Leaders recognize that profound or- • Affirm the commitment to patient- and family-
ganizational change takes time. centered care.
• Celebrate the successes.
Adapted from Johnson, B. H., & Abraham, M. A. (2012). Partnering with Patients, Residents,
and Families: A Resource for Leaders of Hospitals, Ambulatory Care Settings, and Long-Term
Care Communities. Bethesda, MD: Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care.
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PART IV: WHERE DO WE STAND? A SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL
FOR HOSPITAL TRUSTEES, ADMINISTRATORS,
PROVIDERS, AND PATIENT AND FAMILY LEADERS
An effective action plan for moving forward with patient- and family-centered care is based
on a thoughtful assessment of the degree to which a hospital has already incorporated key
principles of this approach to care, and of the areas in which progress remains to be made.
Here are some questions that can serve as a springboard for such an assessment. Ideally,
the assessment should be completed individually by hospital executives, managers, frontline
staff, and patient and family advisors. Representatives of each of these groups should then
convene to discuss the responses and, together, develop an action plan.
Facility
VV design?
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Patient
VV and family education?
Patient
VV and family experience of care?
Patient
VV safety?
Peer-led
VV education and support?
Policy
VV and procedure development?
Quality
VV improvement?
Research
VV initiatives?
Use
VV of information technology?
FF Do patient and family advisors serving on councils, committees, and
work groups reflect the cultural and linguistic diversity of patients and
families served by our organization?
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FF Are patients and their families encouraged and supported to be present
and to participate in nurse change of shift report?
FF Are patients and their families encouraged and supported to be present
and to participate in rounds?
FF Are patients and their families able to activate a Rapid Response Team?
FF Are patients and their families encouraged to identify their learning
needs and priorities regarding care at home as a key component of dis-
charge/transition planning?
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Observations?
VV
Goals?
VV
Preferences?
VV
Human Resources
FF Do our organization’s human resources system support and encourage
the practice of patient- and family-centered care?
FF Do leadership, staff, and physicians reflect the diversity of patients and
families served by our hospital?
FF Are patients and families involved in the hiring process for administra-
tive and clinical leaders?
FF Are systems in place that ensure that individuals with patient- and fam-
ily-centered care skills and attitudes are hired?
FF Does our hospital offer rewards and recognition for patient- and fami-
ly-centered practice?
FF Are there explicit expectations that all staff and physicians respect and
collaborate with patients, families, and staff across disciplines and
departments in:
Position
VV descriptions?
Performance
VV appraisal processes?
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Reflecting on Opportunities and Priorities
After completing the self-assessment and discussing the responses, the team can decide in
which of the following areas, your hospital can begin to partner with patients and families to
make changes to advance the practice of patient- and family-centered care:
FF Community services and programs?
FF Culturally and linguistically appropriate services and materials?
FF Discharge/Transition planning?
FF Education and orientation for staff, physicians, students, and trainees?
FF Ethics?
FF Facility design?
FF Patient and family education?
FF Patient and family experience of care?
FF Patient safety?
FF Peer-led education and support?
FF Policy and procedure development?
FF Quality improvement?
FF Research initiatives?
FF Use of information technology?
Additional organizational and self-assessment tools are available at: www.ipfcc.org/resources/
assessment.html
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PART V: SELECTING, PREPARING, AND SUPPORTING PATIENT
AND FAMILY ADVISORS
Hospitals are increasing their efforts to partner with patients and families in policy and
program development, patient safety, quality improvement, patient experience, health care
redesign, professional education, facility design planning, and research and evaluation. They
are asking patients and families to serve on patient and family advisory councils and on com-
mittees, task forces, and project teams. Appropriate selection, preparation, and support of
patient and family advisors are key to effective partnerships.
WWListen well.
To find individuals with these qualities and skills, ask physicians and other clinicians for sug-
gestions. Review letters or emails from patients or families that have provided constructive
feedback to the hospital. Include information about patient and family advisors in informa-
tional materials on the institution’s website, and in patient experience and satisfaction surveys.
Patient representatives or ombudsmen, community outreach workers, and current patient and
family advisors may also be able to identify potential advisors. Contacting community groups
is another way to find individuals who might be interested in serving as advisors.
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Informing Potential Patient and Family Advisors About Role
Before individuals can make decisions about whether they wish to participate on an advisory
council patient safety committee, a quality improvement team, or in other health care rede-
sign initiatives, they should be informed of the responsibilities and privileges associated with
the role. A fact sheet, containing the following information, can be prepared and offered to
individuals who are being asked to participate:
WWMission and goals of the council, committee, or project.
WWTravel dates.
Reimbursement/Compensation
At a minimum, the organization should reimburse patients and families for expenses incurred
in association with their work with the team (e.g., parking, transportation, child care). Some
organizations also offer stipends or honoraria for participation in meetings. These payments
typically range from $12 - $25 per meeting. Consider the needs of the patient or family advi-
sor and ask about their preferences. If they have no means to cash a check, stipends will have
to be offered in an alternative way (e.g., store voucher, gift card, cash).
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WWOverview of patient experience, quality, and safety issues
and strategies.
WWSpecific skills and knowledge needed to be an effective team
member (e.g., quality improvement methodology for those
serving on a quality improvement team).
WWHIPAA and the importance of privacy and confidentiality.
WWCommunicating collaboratively:
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It is extremely helpful for new patient and family advisors to have a “coach” or mentor who
can provide informal ongoing support to them. A member of the council or committee who
has experience working on collaborative initiatives (either a staff person or an experienced
patient/family advisor) can be assigned to this role. This person can ensure that patient
and family advisors are prepared for each meeting. During meetings, this person can also
actively encourage participation of the advisor. Also they can debrief after each meeting to
determine what additional information or resources patient and family advisors need. Most
importantly, they can support patient and family advisors in participating fully on the team
by providing feedback and encouragement.
The tool, “Patients and Families as Advisors: A Checklist for Attitudes,” can be used to help
physicians and staff assess their own attitudes and beliefs about partnerships with patients
and families.
This material has been adapted from two resources: Developing and Sustaining a Patient and
Family Advisory Council and Essential Allies—Patient, Family, and Resident Advisors: A Guide
for Staff Liaisons published by the Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care.
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PART VI: A CHECKLIST FOR ATTITUDES ABOUT PARTNERING
WITH PATIENTS AND FAMILIES
Use this tool to explore attitudes about patient and family involvement in their own health care
and as advisors. It can be used for self-reflection and as a way to spark discussion among staff and
physicians before beginning to work with patients and families as members of advisory coun-
cils, and quality improvement, patient safety, policy and program development, and health care
redesign teams.
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If you have experience working with patients and families as advisors, answer and
discuss these additional questions:
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PART VII: SELECTED RESOURCES
Visit IPFCC’s website for additional written and audiovisual resources at www.ipfcc.org.
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Additional Resources
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2014, December). Advancing the practice of
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Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2013, June). Guide to patient and family
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qualitytools/guide-patient-and-family-engagement-hospital-quality-and-safety
American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Hospital Care, & Institute for Patient- and
Family-Centered Care. (2012). Patient- and family-centered care and the pediatrician’s
role. Pediatrics, 129(2), 394-404. doi:10.1542/peds.2011-3084
American Hospital Association Committee on Research. (2013). Engaging health care users:
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American Hospital Association, Institute for Family-Centered Care. (2004). Strategies for
leadership: Patient and family-centered care. Chicago, IL: American Hospital Association.
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American Society for Healthcare Risk Management. (2010). Patient- and family-centered care:
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