Any list of the burning issues in healthcare will include skyrocketing costs, utilization (both over and under), lack of access, the ongoing surge in chronic disease, the need for greater patient engagement and better patient experience, lack of effective coordination of care, a healthcare finance system that still rewards incidental and procedural events at the […]
Having recently completed my third year on the judging panel for the John Q. Sherman (JQS) Award for Excellence in Patient Engagement (proffered by EngagingPatients.org in partnership with the National Patient Safety Foundation), it’s a great time to reflect on the evolution of patient engagement as evidenced in the nominations. Since its inception, the JQS […]
Frances Hesselbein, a giant in the field of leadership development, says, “Culture does not change because we desire to change it. Culture changes when the organization is transformed; the culture reflects the realities of people working together every day.” The simplicity of this statement only underscores its importance. The problem, of course, is how do […]
Consider this: A 2011 survey reported in Health Affairs of 800 recently hospitalized patients found that only 53 percent of them felt that their physicians were empathic and caring.1 In one study where doctor-patient encounters were videotaped, researchers found that doctors often overlooked or dismissed signs of distress communicated by patients, providing empathic responses only […]
As closing keynote speaker at the 27th Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Annual Forum this past December, Don Berwick, former head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and senior fellow with IHI, suggested that “relationships will be the foundation of health care’s new age.” “It’s not power or accountability or reward or punishment […]
Improving the patient-centeredness of healthcare is “the right thing to do.” That being said, it also happens to make great business sense. A spotlight has been placed on patient-centered care, patient experience, and patient engagement under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010. The law sets forth financial incentives and penalties for providers and organizations […]
As healthcare providers recognize the essential need to engage patients and to understand what is important to them in their health and healthcare delivery, there is need for a paradigm shift in the focus of “what’s the matter?” to “what matters to you?,” a concept put forward by Maureen Bisognano, President of the Institute for […]
Sometimes all it takes to make transformative changes in healthcare delivery is seeing great ideas and being willing to “steal shamelessly.” Today, we share great ideas that have been developed and implemented around the world using the PFCC Methodology and Practice (www.pfcc.org). We hope you will steal them shamelessly “as is” and/or use them as […]
Once upon a time, there was an ICU patient named Robert. Robert was not very responsive to verbal stimuli or requests such as: “Can you open your eyes for us?” or “Can you open your mouth so I can give you some medication?” Several days after Robert was admitted to the ICU, a family member […]
Creating a culture in which patient-centered care is embraced as the standard of care is no small challenge. However, what better way for future healthcare professionals to start their careers than to have a way in which to view every component of patient and family care experiences through their eyes. This is one of the […]