TOOLS & RESOURCES - Patient- and Family-Centered Care

Institute for Family-Centered Care

Strategies for Leadership: Patient-and Family-Centered Care (A Resource Guide)

http://www.aha.org/aha/key_issues/patient_safety/contents/resourceguide.pdf

This resource guide for hospital leaders and medical staff provides information about the concepts of patient- and family-centered care as well as guidance on how to advance such care within organizations. Case studies and a listing of additional resources and references also are featured.

Creating Advisory Councils (PDF file)
Download this file to find information about the purpose and responsibilities, and also the benefits, of an advisory council.

Patients and Families as Advisors: Broadening Our Vision (PDF file)
There are countless ways that patients and families can serve as advisors to policy makers, program planners, and care providers. Here are some of the ways that patients and families can serve as advisors.

Patient- and Family-Centered Care (PDF file)
Patient- and family-centered care is an approach to the planning, delivery, and evaluation of health care that is grounded in mutually beneficial partnerships among health care providers, patients, and families. It redefines the relationships in health care.

Patient and Family Advisory Council Workplan: Getting Started (Word file)
A handout for the November 16-19, 2003, Grand Rapids, MI, Advancing the Practice of Family-Centered Maternity and Newborn Intensive Care seminar.

Staff Liaison to Family Advisory Councils and Other Collaborative Endeavors (PDF file)
Staff liaison: Any role that supports and facilitates consumers in having direct input and influence on the policies, programs, and practices that affect the care and services that individuals and families receive in a health care setting.

Tips for Group Leaders and Facilitators on Involving Patients and Families on Committees and Task Forces (PDF file)
This document contains information on selecting patients and families to serve as advisors, preparation for and having meetings, and anticipating illness demands.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

HCAHPS®

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ)

http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/hspcahps.htm

This resource provides information about AHRQ’s process to develop a national standard for assessing hospital patient experiences.

Quality of Health Care: "Q-Pack"

As part of its effort to make health care safer and reduce medical errors, AHRQ has developed materials that will help patients choose wisely when it comes to their health care.

20 Tips To Help Prevent Medical Errors

Offers practical tips for preventing medical errors in hospitals, clinics, outpatient surgery centers, doctors' offices, nursing homes, pharmacies, and patients' homes. This patient fact sheet provides questions to ask about medicines, surgery, medical diagnoses, equipment, and lab reports.

20 Tips To Help Prevent Medical Errors (HTML)   PDF File, 222 KB

20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors in Children (HTML)

PDF File, 283 KB

5 Steps To Safer Health Care - A shorter version of 20 Tips To Help Prevent Medical Errors.

5 Steps To Safer Health Care (HTML) PDF File, 360 KB

Ways You Can Help Your Family Prevent Medical Errors!

(Basic version, with pictures)

Your Guide To Choosing Quality Health Care

Based on research about the information people want and need when choosing health plans, doctors, treatments, hospitals, and long-term care. It describes quality measures—including consumer ratings, clinical performance measures, and accreditation—what they are, where to find them, and how to use them. The guide has checklists, questions, charts, and other tools to help make health care decisions.

Your Guide To Choosing Quality Health Care (HTML)

PDF File, 214 KB

Improving Health Care Quality: A Guide for Patients and Families (HTML) PDF File, 75 KB (Short version)

Quick Checks for Quality

Provides a handy checklist to use when choosing health plans, doctors, treatments, hospitals, and long-term care.

Quick Checks for Quality (HTML)   PDF File, 140 KB

Quick Tips

These handy references can help you prepare for various medical tests, handle medications your physician prescribes for you, plan for surgery, and get the most from your appointment with your physician.

Getting Medical Tests (HTML)     PDF File, 16 KB

Getting a Prescription (HTML)    PDF File, 15 KB

Planning for Surgery (HTML)      PDF File, 14 KB

Talking With Your Doctor (HTML)   PDF File, 17 KB

Now You Have a Diagnosis: What's Next?

If you were recently diagnosed with a serious illness or chronic condition, what should you do? This resource helps you to use research and other information to make the best treatment decisions for you. It includes information on Web sites and other resources.

Now You Have a Diagnosis: What's Next? (HTML)   PDF File, 1 MB

Other Information

AHRQ information on other health care topics is available, including preventive health care:

Pocket Guide to Good Health for Adults (HTML)    PDF File, 333 KB

Pocket Guide to Good Health for Children (HTML)     PDF File, 320 KB

Pocket Guide to Staying Healthy at 50+ (HTML)    PDF File, 300 KB

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

Hospital Compare - http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/

This Web site produced by CMS and HQA, provides information on local hospitals as well as such patient tools as a hospital checklist and a description of patient’s rights.

Institute for Health Care Improvement (IHI)

Patient-Centered Care Information

http://www.ihi.org/IHI/Topics/PatientCenteredCare/

IHI’s Web site has tools, resources and health care improvement stories that focus on involving patients in the design of care, meeting patient’s needs and making informed decisions about health care.

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

Quality Check®

http://www.jcaho.org/quality+check/index.htm

Quality Check® is a search engine on the Web that lists Joint Commission accredited health care organizations.

Speak Up (SM) Initiative

http://www.jcaho.org/general+public/gp+speak+up/index.htm#lod

These tools and resources meant to assist patients in taking an active role in their health care, making better health care choices and becoming more informed participants in their health care.

National Health Council

Putting Patients First®

http://www.nationalhealthcouncil.org/initiatives/putting_patients.htm

This public education program is designed to empower consumers and patients. It includes a document listing patients’ rights and responsibilities, practical messages to help consumers take action and public service announcements.

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