How to Make Sure Health Care Changes are Patient-Centred

1. Does/will it improve a patient’s health, comfort and/or chronic conditions?

2. Does/will it reduce a patient and their family’s anxiety?

3. Does/will it manage symptoms better?

4. Is there a central medical decision maker involved to whom the patient and family can discuss decisions?

5. Is the family physician/practice involved? (i.e., they are not just sent reports afterward a patient’s discharge but are involved in diagnosis           and  treatment processes.) Who better to know about the patient’s overall health?

6. Is/will the patient seen and treated as a whole person?

7. Are/will the physical, emotional, spiritual and information needs of the patient and family met? If not, why not?

8. When compromises to excellent care are made, are they noted down in an obvious place so that they do not become the ‘new normal?’

9. Are the right people, receiving the right service, from the right people, in the right way, in the right place, at the right time, for the right cost, for the right reasons?

See related article: "7 Steps to Patient-Centred Care."

Harry van Bommel:                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Harry van Bommel is the author of over 35 books. You can read many of his publications, for FREE, on his not-for-profit website: www.legacies.ca.