What is Patient and Family Centered Care?
At the heart of Patient and Family Centered Care is the belief that families and healthcare workers, partnering together, can provide the care that best meets the needs of the child. Our providers partner with patients and families to deliver the best care possible, involving them in all aspects of planning, delivery, and evaluation of healthcare services. EMMC’s Patient and Family Centered Care approach is guided by our Pediatric Family Advisory Council.
Some of what you can expect as part of Patient and Family Centered Care:
An active role as part of the healthcare team
A welcoming and supportive environment
The opportunity to be present during treatments and procedures
Ample opportunities to ask questions and get information
Timely and expert care and assistance in managing physical comfort of the patient
Patient and Family Centered Care Core Concepts:
Family Strengths - The family is a constant in the child’s life. We support and empower family members as partners and decision-makers in their child’s care and help them cope more confidently with their child’s illness.
Respect – Patient and Family Centered Care requires trust and respect. We respect each family’s values, beliefs, and religious and cultural backgrounds. We trust the parent’s knowledge of their child and value them as decision makers and respect their choices.
Choice - We provide the education and information parents need to make informed choices about the treatment programs their child may face. We support those choices.
Information sharing - Our families educate us about their child, and we inform the family about their child’s medical condition. This sharing of information leads to a strong partnership in which both parties have the child’s best interests at heart.
Support - we support the families by respecting their decisions, and offering comfort while meeting the social, developmental, and emotional needs of the child.
Flexibility – The Patient and Family Centered Care philosophy emphasizes that healthcare providers must be flexible to meet the many needs and preferences of all families.
Empowerment - Families have the right and the authority to care for their children. The core concepts of Patient and Family Centered Care empower families in the care of their child.