Patientcenteredness

Patient-centeredness, often referred to as patient-centered care, is a healthcare approach that places the patient at the core of the care process. It emphasizes respecting and responding to individual patient preferences, needs, and values, and ensuring that these guide all clinical decisions and care planning. The aim is to treat patients as partners rather than passive recipients of care.

Indicators and framework for patient-centeredness include eight domains described by major health organizations: respect for patient values, preferences, and expressed needs; information, communication, and education; physical comfort; emotional support; involvement of family and friends; coordination and integration of care; continuity and transition; and access to care. Collectively, these domains guide how care is delivered, organized, and evaluated.

Implementation relies on practices such as shared decision making, clear and empathetic communication, accessible patient education, active involvement of family when appropriate, coordinated care across settings, culturally competent care, and the use of patient-reported data to tailor treatment plans. Collaboration among patients, families, and clinicians is central, with an emphasis on transparency, trust, and respect for individual circumstances.

Measurement and outcomes are pursued through patient-reported experience measures and PROMs/PREMs, along with established surveys like CAHPS. Benefits attributed to patient-centeredness include higher patient satisfaction, improved adherence to treatment plans, better health outcomes, enhanced safety, and more efficient care delivery. Challenges can include time constraints, reimbursement models, provider training needs, health literacy, language barriers, and system fragmentation.

Related concepts include patient empowerment and shared decision making.