Patient- and family-centered care is an approach to the planning, delivery, and evaluation of health care grounded in mutually beneficial partnerships among health care providers, patients and families.
The four core concepts of Patient- and Family-Centered Care are dignity and respect, information sharing, participation and collaboration.
In patient- and family-centered care, patients and families define their “family” and determine how they will participate in care and decision-making. A key goal is to promote the health and wellbeing of individuals and families and to maintain their control.
At Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, we believe that the partnership between patients, families and health care providers is based on the realization that what we do together is greater than what one can do alone. This is the foundation for our Family-Centered Care Program (FCCP). We utilize advisory councils to share the perspective of patients and families with Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, in order to provide the ideal patient and family encounters.
The advisory councils are excellent ways for our families to serve as volunteers. Members of the councils, known as advisors, will share their experiences, opinions and suggestions with the staff liaisons on each council. Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in turn uses this feedback to improve and develop processes, policies, building designs and wayfinding. Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital has several councils to meet the needs of our patient populations. They are:
- Children’s Patient Advisory Council
- Surgical and Procedural Advisory Council
- Neonatal Parent Advisory Council
- Perinatal Patient Family Advisory Council
- Pediatric Parent Advisory Council
As we continue to grow, we will expand our councils and volunteer opportunities to include online advisors, welcome volunteers, tour volunteers and peer mentors.