Collaborative Patient- and Family-Centered Care for Hospitalized Individuals: Best Practices for Hospitalist Care Teams

Traditionally, hospital medicine services have been dominated by the physician and hospital team, with significant barriers to patient- and family-centered care. This article offers principles and associated strategies to reduce those barriers and guide implementation of systemically informed, collaborative, and culturally responsive patient- and family-centered care provided by hospitalist care teams, especially regarding collaborative decision-making for treatment and discharge planning. Such an approach is associated with reduced lengths of stay and hospital costs and lowered rates of medical errors and mortality. It also is linked to improved patient and family cooperation and adherence; enhanced quality of care and clinical outcomes; and increased levels of satisfaction among health care professionals, patients, and families. Such care uses resources wisely and is effective and ethical. We hope articulating and illustrating these principles and strategies will facilitate efforts to shift the health care culture from being physician-centered to truly team-, patient-, and family-centered.