Patient and Family Centered Care
When healthcare professionals provide patient and family centered care (PFCC), staff satisfaction increases, patient outcomes improve, and costs decrease. When hospitals recognize the importance of including patients and their families as active team members, their needs can be prioritized. This allows patients to be more engaged and leads to more effective treatments.
Family centered care was once a concept only considered in pediatric populations. While it is an essential part of caring for children, this concept is also vital for any patient. It is important to recognize that family members, both biological and chosen, play a key role in caregiving, in hospital and after discharge.
Key Principles of Patient and Family Centered Care (PFCC):
- Listening to patients and their families.
- Facilitating choice.
- Sharing information.
- Building confidence to participate in health care decision making.
(Clay & Parsh, 2016)