Fall QCLC - Institute for Patient and Family-Centered Care - Article on Patient Centered Care: Through the Eyes of Patients and Families

What is the experience of your practice through the eyes of patients living with chronic conditions and their families?  Bringing the perspectives and experiences of patients and families directly into care – from planning, delivery, physical site design, and evaluation is demonstrated to improve the safety and quality of care, lower costs – and dramatically increase patient and staff satisfaction.

One starting point for beginning to improve self-management support planning for primary care practices is to see the ambulatory care experience through the eyes of patients and their families.  The Institute for Patient and Family-Centered Care (www.ipfcc.org) encourages the use of “walk-abouts,” where the entire care team, including patients and families, can observe or simulate a chronic care visit together.  “Walk-abouts” examine all aspects of the visit, from the patient’s entry into the clinic until their departure, including transitions as well as visits spent with providers.  “Walk-abouts” collect evidence in the form of digital photos or videos, observational notes, patient forms and educational materials, and specific quotes or announcements used in materials.

Specific questions addressed in the “Walk-about” include:

• - How are patients and families introduced to their role as a self-manager?
• -How are patients’ values and preferences elicited and explored?
• -How does the patient get information and skills to be a better self-manager?
• -What staff and clinicians do to build patient self-confidence in managing their chronic condition?
• -How do patient forms and educational materials (or anything else they may receive or need to fill out as part of a visit) promote self-management?
• -How is self-management promoted in the physical environment (e.g., posters, magazines,
• announcements)?

For more information, please access the source document from the Institute for Patient and Family-Centered Care.  Self-Management Walk-About in Ambulatory Settings article.