What describes the concept of patient-centered care?

The concept of patient-centered care is best described by the idea of healthcare working collaboratively to meet patient needs. This approach emphasizes the importance of integrating the patient's preferences, values, and needs into the planning, delivery, and evaluation of healthcare services. It recognizes that patients are not just recipients of care but active participants in their own health journeys.

In a patient-centered care model, healthcare providers work together, often across various disciplines, to create a holistic approach that addresses all aspects of a patient's experience, including physical, emotional, and social factors. This collaboration ensures that care is tailored to the individual rather than a one-size-fits-all model, ultimately leading to better health outcomes and increased patient satisfaction.

While patient autonomy is certainly an important element of patient-centered care, as it allows patients to make informed choices about their treatment, the full essence of patient-centered care includes the collaboration among healthcare providers to support those choices effectively. Focusing solely on technology and innovation or efficiently managing hospital resources does not inherently lead to a patient-centered approach, as these aspects can often emphasize systems over the individual needs of patients.