University of Washington Medical Center
Seattle, Washington
University of Washington, aerial view(courtesy of University of Washington) |
Patient- and Family-Centered Care
Patient- and family-centered care at the University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC) is a culture change movement started in 2002 to improve the delivery of health care for patients and families.
UWMC defines patient- and family-centered care as a philosophy of care that:
- recognizes the importance of patient and family involvement in health care decision-making;
- emphasizes the strengths, priorities, and preferences that are unique to each family; and
- encourages a spirit of partnership between patients, families, and health care professionals.
At UWMC, patient- and family-centered care embraces six concepts: communication, information sharing, choices, respect, partnership, and strengths.
According to Stephen Zieniewicz, UWMC's Executive Director, patient- and family-centered care is "foundational to the success of providing quality care in a safe and partnership-based environment. Stephen believes that patient and family involvement in health care greatly increases patient safety by reducing the number of falls, ensuring that patients understand care plan instructions, and contributing to reduced medical errors. Suggestions and insights provided by patient and family advisors improve the patient care experience and facilitate navigating the care process.
READ MORE . . .
The 4th International Conference on Patient- and
Family-Centered Care
Philadelphia, PA ~ August 2009
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The Institute for Family-Centered Care is gearing up for The 4th International Conference on Patient- and Family-Centered Care to be held August 17-19, 2009, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. We are delighted to have leadership support from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania Health System.
The 4th International Conference will include a wide array of exciting offerings. In addition to hearing keynote speakers and plenary sessions, participants will be able to choose from numerous cutting-edge breakout sessions. In addition to the Exhibit Hall and Resource Booth, the Conference features special events, receptions, networking breakfasts, special interest meetings, and outings.
We received nearly 400 abstracts from 13 countries in response to the Call for Papers. We received many high quality abstracts, making the reviewing process a difficult yet delightful task! An expert panel of external reviewers evaluated the submissions.
The Conference will offer over a hundred excellent presentations-in oral, video, and poster format. Here is a sampling of some of the more than 30 substantive categories: Building the Business Case for Patient- and Family-Centered Care; Cultural and Linguistic Competency; Design of Health Care Environments; Health Information Technology; Leadership/Health Care Administration; Measurement in Patient- and Family-Centered Care; Palliative/End-of-Life Care; Patient and Family Advisors and Faculty; Patient Safety and Quality Improvement; Supporting Staff and Physicians; and Transitions in Health Care. There will be so many offerings that participants will wish that that they could be in more than one session at a time! Conference participants will be able to purchase audio recordings of sessions at a discount.
The Institute received abstracts from a broad array of organizations-both civilian and military-including more than 80 hospitals, numerous medical centers, government entities, professional organizations, foundations, health systems, rehabilitation facilities, community-based non-profit organizations, architects, and educational institutions such as universities, and schools of medicine, nursing, and public health. Conference participants, including patient and family leaders, are representatives of these types of organizations and more. Networking opportunities will abound.
The Institute's last International Conference, in Seattle, Washington in 2007, attracted more than a thousand participants from all over the world. While the majority of attendees were from North America, we had at least ten countries represented. Even with these challenging economic times, the Institute is anticipating a large turnout for The 4th International Conference in Philadelphia. Health care leaders understand that patient- and family-centered care makes good business sense and offers a significant return on their investment. We hope to see you at The 4th International Conference on Patient- and Family-Centered Care.
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