The shift from traditional, provider-driven healthcare to person-centered care is transforming the way we approach patient treatment. Focusing on the individual — and not just the illness — leads to better outcomes, higher patient satisfaction, and improved healthcare quality.
This way, patients can become active participants in their care, which strengthens relationships and builds a more compassionate, effective system.
In this post, we’ll explore the core principles of person-centered care, why it matters, and practical ways to put patients at the heart of their healthcare experience.
What is patient-centered care?
Patient-centered care, sometimes referred to as person-centered care, is a healthcare approach that focuses on the individual needs, values, and preferences of patients, making them active participants in their care. It shifts away from the traditional model, where care is primarily driven by providers, to one where patients have a central role in decision-making.
While conventional care focuses on diagnosing and treating illnesses — patient-centered care is patient-driven, considering emotional and social factors alongside medical needs.
The benefits of patient-centered care include:
- Improved outcomes: Involving patients in their care makes them more likely to adhere to treatments.
- Enhanced patient satisfaction: Listening to and respecting patients leads to a better healthcare experience.
- Reduced anxiety: Compassionate care reduces stress, leading to better emotional well-being.
- Cost efficiency: Fewer unnecessary tests and referrals are needed when care is aligned with patient values.
- Reduce staff burnout: Following on the last point, patient-centered care helps improve resource allocation, which in turn can decrease the overall clinic workload.
Core elements of patient-centered care
The ultimate goal of patient-centered care is to provide care that is genuinely responsive to each individual’s unique needs, preferences, and values.
Let’s look at the core elements that shape this approach.
1) Respect for patient preferences and values
This element centers on delivering care that fully acknowledges and honors each patient’s unique needs, preferences, and values. Healthcare providers must actively involve patients in every stage of decision-making, creating a collaborative care plan that aligns with their individual goals and lifestyle.
Such an approach will ensure that treatments are not just clinically effective but also resonate with the patient’s personal beliefs and priorities — enhancing both the quality of care and patient satisfaction.
Examples of actions practitioners can take:
- Ask patients about their goals, values, and expectations before beginning treatment.
- Involve patients in creating personalized treatment plans that reflect their lifestyle.
- Offer options for treatment whenever possible and explain the risks and benefits of each.
- Respect patient decisions, even if they opt for less aggressive treatment options.
2) Coordinated and integrated care
Coordinated care ensures that all members of a patient’s healthcare team are working together and communicating effectively. It covers the integration of services within and across healthcare systems, reducing fragmentation of care and improving outcomes.
Examples of actions practitioners can take:
- Establish regular communication between primary care providers and specialists.
- Use shared electronic health records to ensure all team members are up-to-date on the patient’s condition and treatment.
- Assign a care coordinator to help manage complex patient journeys involving multiple providers.
- Create smooth referral systems to ensure patients are promptly connected to the necessary services.
3) Information, communication, and education
Make an effort to provide patients with all of the information they need to make informed decisions about their care. Effective communication between healthcare providers and patients is crucial for ensuring mutual understanding and fostering trust.
Examples of actions practitioners can take:
- Clearly explain diagnoses, treatment options, and potential outcomes in plain language.
- Provide patients with educational materials to help them understand their condition and treatment options.
- Offer decision aids to help patients weigh their choices based on their preferences.
- Make time for questions and encourage open dialogue during consultations.
4) Physical comfort and emotional support
Go beyond addressing medical needs — emphasize the importance of making patients feel secure and supported throughout their healthcare journey.
Whether through pain management, creating a relaxing environment, or offering emotional reassurance, the goal is to provide holistic care that recognizes the patient’s overall comfort and emotional state as integral parts of their recovery and satisfaction.
Examples of actions practitioners can take:
- Regularly assess and manage pain to keep patients as comfortable as possible.
- Create a calm, supportive environment by reducing noise and ensuring privacy.
- Offer access to mental health support or counseling services as part of the care plan.
- Provide emotional support by offering empathetic communication and reassuring presence.
5) Family and friend involvement
Including family members and friends in the patient’s care can lead to better outcomes, particularly for patients with chronic conditions or those nearing the end of life. This element encourages practitioners to engage loved ones in the decision-making process when appropriate.
Examples of actions practitioners can take:
- Ask patients if they would like family members or friends to be involved in their care decisions.
- Include family members in discussions about care plans, ensuring they are aware of the patient’s preferences.
- Facilitate family meetings to discuss complex decisions, such as palliative care or end-of-life care.
- Provide resources and support for family caregivers, including education and counseling services.
6) Transition and continuity of care
This element covers the support patients receive as they transition between different phases of care, such as from hospital to home or from one healthcare provider to another. Continuity of care ensures that patients do not experience gaps or disruptions in their treatment.
Examples of actions practitioners can take:
- Provide clear discharge instructions and follow-up plans when patients leave the hospital.
- Schedule follow-up appointments before the patient leaves the care facility.
- Ensure continuity in treatment plans when transitioning from one healthcare setting to another (e.g., from inpatient to outpatient care).
- Designate a case manager or navigator to oversee transitions and ensure patients have the resources they need post-discharge.
Check how Optical Express used the InsiderCX platform to track patient satisfaction from pre- to post-treatment.
How can practitioners measure their success in providing person-centered care?
Measuring success in person-centered care requires a combination of patient input, outcome tracking, and staff evaluation. Below are the most important methods for assessment:
- Patient satisfaction surveys: These surveys provide direct feedback on a patient’s care experience, covering everything from communication with providers to how well their preferences were respected. Response analysis can help identify gaps and adjust practices to improve patient engagement and satisfaction.
- Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs): PROMs evaluate how patients perceive their health status after treatment — including pain levels, physical function, and overall quality of life. Tracking outcomes over time enables practitioners to see how well their interventions align with patient-defined success and adjust treatments to better meet individual needs.
- Patient-Reported Experience Measures (PREMs): PREMs focus on the patient’s experience during the care process itself. From the clarity of information provided to the emotional support received, PREMs help providers gauge the quality of patient interactions, ensuring that care is not only effective but also compassionate and respectful.
- Staff engagement and training: Engaged, well-trained staff are essential for delivering patient-centered care. Regular assessments of staff satisfaction, ongoing training programs, and opportunities for input help ensure that the care team is fully invested in the approach, which translates into better care experiences for patients.
- Establishing feedback loops: Continuous feedback from patients and their families allows teams to refine and adapt care processes. This creates a dynamic, responsive system where practices are adjusted based on real-time experiences, fostering ongoing improvements in care delivery.
The InsiderCX platform helps you put patients front and center
InsiderCX is a comprehensive patient experience platform designed to help healthcare providers streamline and optimize patient feedback collection and analysis. It helps clinics focus on delivering patient-centered care without getting bogged down in administrative tasks.
With white-labeled surveys delivered via SMS, WhatsApp, or Viber, the platform ensures patient feedback is both timely and aligned with the clinic’s branding.
Through InsiderCX, we can help you create and deploy all of the necessary surveys mentioned earlier — patient satisfaction surveys, PROMs, PREMs — and analyze the data in real-time. This allows your clinic to track patient experiences, measure outcomes, and continuously improve care quality.
