S1 • E9 Feb 11, 2004 26m
Healthcare is experiencing some of its most challenging times, and with the challenge, comes opportunity. This program focuses on the importance of hospitals who place Patient Centered Care first. The concept of patient-centered care is nothing new. It's been gathering momentum in the United States for two decades. Patient Centered hospitals are different from the inside and out; the lighting is incandescent; floors are carpeted; original artwork lines the walls; fresh flowers grace the tabletops; patient rooms, all rooms are private and set back from the hallway; etc. However, Patient Centered Care doesn't mean that all hospitals must make expensive renovations to keep up. The core philosophy is about empowering patients and treating them like human beings. In Patient Centered Care hospitals, patients and families have access to information so they can become more active participants in medical decision making, exercising autonomy, and having considerable control over the choice of medical therapies.
