Patient-Centered Care
Empowering patients to take charge of their own health and work collaboratively with their providers is critical in achieving high-quality health care, especially in settings that serve marginalized people.
In its landmark report, “Crossing the Quality Chasm,” the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) identified patient-centeredness as one of the six domains that define quality care — the others are safety, timeliness, effectiveness, efficiency, and equity.
America’s Essential Hospitals supports our member hospitals in understanding all components of superior patient-centered care and how to implement best practices.
Questions
Contact us at info@essentialhospitals.org or 202.585.0100.
New Resources for Hypertension Management
July 1, 2020 ||HHS released the second edition of the Million Hearts Hypertension Control Change Package, a compilation of concepts, ideas, and evidence- and practice-based tools and resources used by health centers and clinics to improve hypertension control.
view more »Essential Hospital Rises to COVID-19 Challenges with CORE+ Unit
June 25, 2020 ||In Philadelphia, leaders at association member Einstein Healthcare Network opened a dedicated CORE+ unit to provide post-acute care for COVID-19 patients.
view more »No-Cost Training on Identifying Patient Priorities
May 29, 2019 ||A new online training resource released by Patient Priorities Care and the American College of Physicians aims to help clinicians identify treatment options according to what matters most to patients.
view more »Could Plants Be the Answer? Essential Hospital Pilots Plant-based Lifestyle Medicine Program
March 14, 2019 ||The NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue program encourages patients with cardiometabolic risk factors to transition to a plant-based diet.
view more »Virtual Reality Comforts Cancer Patients at Christiana Care
Jan. 31, 2019 ||Christiana Care Health System, in Wilmington, Del., helps patients and their loved ones cope during chemotherapy through visits to virtual destinations.
view more »AHRQ State Snapshots Show Improvements in Person-Centered Care
Oct. 1, 2018 ||Health care providers can use this interactive tool to compare performance among states, identify areas for improvement, and find models for best practices.
view more »New Draft Guidance on Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Approval
Aug. 13, 2018 ||The new Food and Drug Administration draft guidance encourages researchers to consider a broader set of outcomes when approving new drugs for medication-assisted treatment, including a reduction in relapse overdoses and rates of disease transmissions.
view more »PCORI to Award $64 Million for Comparative Effectiveness Research
June 13, 2018 ||Letters of intent for this funding opportunity must be submitted by June 28 at 5 pm ET, and full applications are due Sept. 25 at 5 pm ET.
view more »HCAHPS Podcast Helps Participants Improve Response Rates
May 7, 2018 ||The podcast provides updates to survey vendors, self-administering hospitals, and client hospitals participating in the national patient experience survey.
view more »CDC Funding Opportunity for Opioid Prevention Research
April 5, 2018 ||The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will award up to $15.75 million for research to advance understanding about opioid overdose prevention. Applications are due May 15.
view more »CDC Study, Webinar Focus on ED Opioid Overdoses
March 12, 2018 ||A new CDC study finds a 30 percent increase in opioid overdose–related emergency department (ED) visits; the agency will host a webinar on coordinating clinical and public health responses to opioid overdoses treated in EDs.
view more »Using EHRs to Cut Unplanned Readmissions in Half
Oct. 18, 2017 ||Staff at University of Missouri Health Care designed an intervention using health information technology that reduced unplanned heart failure readmissions by nearly half after only nine months.
view more »Horsin’ Around At Erie County Medical Center
Oct. 13, 2017 ||The Buffalo, N.Y., hospital took a creative approach to animal-assisted therapy by inviting two Shetland ponies, Quinton and Lilly, to visit patients.
view more »HHS Launches Emergency Preparedness Resources Site
Aug. 28, 2017 ||The new webpage was launched by HHS’ Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response; a webinar highlighting the resources will be held Sept. 14.
view more »AHRQ Report Shows Quality Improvements, but Disparities Persist
Aug. 22, 2017 ||The report, mandated by Congress and released by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, found continued gaps in access to care and other health disparities.
view more »NAM Recommends Improvements to High-Need Patient Care
July 14, 2017 ||The special report suggests methods to improve care for the top 5 percent of high-need patients, who account for half of the nation’s health care spending.
view more »AHRQ Seeks Health System Leaders for Research Insights
May 10, 2017 ||The agency’s Evidence-based Practice Centers Program wants to hear how health systems use evidence reports in decision-making.
view more »CMS Brief Aims To Improve Communication With Medicare Patients
May 4, 2017 ||Barriers to communication can be especially harmful for Medicare beneficiaries, who are more likely to have comorbidities and complex health needs.
view more »UAB Lay Navigator Program Puts Patients’ Health in their Own Hands
April 28, 2017 ||Trained lay navigators guide cancer patients 65 and older through the treatment process at 12 community cancer centers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
view more »NIH Tests Vaccine To Protect Against Mosquito-Borne Diseases
Feb. 27, 2017 ||The vaccine triggers an immune response to mosquito saliva; the study is expected to enroll up to 60 healthy adults and finish by summer 2018.
view more »New UCSD Tool Speeds Up ID of Bacteria in Blood
Feb. 15, 2017 ||University of California-San Diego researchers have found a way to detect harmful chemicals in a blood sample in mere hours, with 99 percent accuracy.
view more »NYC Health+Hospitals Overcomes Challenges to Post-Acute Care
Feb. 10, 2017 ||Under the “Better Way to Live” program, 62 “alternative level of care” patients have been successfully transitioned to a post–acute care facility.
view more »NQF Releases Quality Measure Recommendations
Feb. 7, 2017 ||NQF’s Measure Applications Partnership submitted recommendations to HHS on 74 performance measures under consideration for 16 federal health care programs.
view more »CDC Workshops: Preparing for Infectious Disease Epidemics
Feb. 7, 2017 ||CDC will host two free workshops with the National Ebola Training & Education Center to train health care workers on delivering patient care during an infectious disease epidemic.
view more »AHRQ Seeks Input on ‘Learning Healthcare Systems’
Feb. 3, 2017 ||The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) seeks information about how health care delivery organizations work to become “learning healthcare systems.”
view more »Apply Now for Opioid Crisis Grants
Jan. 2, 2017 ||Up to $485 million annually will be awarded to up to 59 entities, with allocations based on a formula of unmet need and the number of drug-poisoning deaths.
view more »PCORI-Funded Project Aims To Improve Hepatitis Awareness Among Asian Americans
Sept. 28, 2016 ||UCSF School of Medicine and San Francisco General Hospital researchers are testing a mobile app to raise awareness of hepatitis B and C among Asian Americans.
view more »PCORI To Offer Funding for Alternative Pain Management Strategies
Sept. 20, 2016 ||Funding will be used for randomized clinical trials comparing two or more alternative clinical pain management strategies.
view more »NQF Revises Quality Measures Endorsement Processes
Sept. 20, 2016 ||Starting in 2017, the National Quality Forum’s Consensus Standards Approval Committee will make final decisions on endorsements without board approval.
view more »Medicare ACOs Continue Quality Improvement, Savings
Aug. 30, 2016 ||Hospitals and other providers generated more than $466 million in savings in 2015 through participation in Medicare accountable care organizations (ACOs).
view more »Medicaid Readmissions Guide Focus of AHRQ Webinar
Aug. 24, 2016 ||The webinar will introduce AHRQ’s updated hospital guide for delivering transitional care to reduce readmissions among adult Medicaid patients.
view more »Program Prescribes Nutritious Food for Malnourished Patients
Aug. 3, 2016 ||Flavor Harvest @ Home, a medical nutrition therapy program, provides meals to Lee Memorial Health System patients who are at risk for being malnourished.
view more »CMS Selects Participants for Million Hearts Model
July 29, 2016 ||Several members of America’s Essential Hospitals are among the participants selected for the Million Hearts Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction Model.
view more »Telehealth Services Benefit Patients with Chronic Conditions
July 8, 2016 ||The agency said patients who receive communication, counseling, or monitoring remotely for cardiovascular and respiratory disease experienced improved outcomes.
view more »Calif. Hospitals Launch Initiative To Reduce Repeat ED Visits
June 30, 2016 ||Six Northern California hospitals are using a shared database of ED patients’ health records to promote consistent care across providers.
view more »AHRQ Offers No-Cost Continuing Education Video
June 21, 2016 ||The no-cost continuing education/continuing medical education video on how health IT systems can enable patient-centered care is available until June 30.
view more »One-Stop Florida Clinic Integrates Behavioral and Primary Care
June 6, 2016 ||Memorial Healthcare System, in Hollywood, Fla., is integrating behavioral and primary care in its new, federally funded program.
view more »HHS Issues Design Challenge for Simpler Medical Bill
May 11, 2016 ||Two association members are among six sites nationally that will test or implement winning solutions in the HHS “A Bill You Can Understand” challenge.
view more »CMS Announces $8 Million for Quality Improvement Projects
April 6, 2016 ||Special Innovation Project grants will be awarded to 28 partnerships with QIN-QIOs to support and scale quality improvement projects.
view more »Narrative Medicine Helps To Heal at HCMC
April 1, 2016 ||Syl Jones is teaching narrative medicine, which emphasizes the importance of patient stories in health care, to students and physicians at Hennepin County Medical Center.
view more »Banner Health Achieves Positive Outcomes with Telehealth Programs
March 24, 2016 ||Banner Health is expanding its telehealth program to new areas of its hospitals, and even into patients’ homes.
view more »HHS Releases National Chronic Pain Strategy
March 22, 2016 ||Department calls for interagency approach that employs alternative payment models and better communication between patients and providers.
view more »CMS Clarifies Sepsis Measure in IQR Program
Feb. 24, 2016 ||Guidance on the new sepsis measure (SEP-1) is now available on QualityNet, including what documentation can be used for data elements in the chart-abstracted measure.
view more »First Hospital Makerspace Taps into Nurses’ Talents
Feb. 9, 2016 ||In September 2015, the University of Texas Medical Branch opened the nation’s first medical makerspace, a do-it-yourself area for nurses to brainstorm and invent solutions for better patient care.
view more »CMS Launches Voluntary Outpatient Patient Experience Survey
Feb. 2, 2016 ||Now-voluntary OAS CAHPS will measure patient experience of care in Medicare-certified hospital outpatient departments and ASCs. The first public reporting of data is not expected until 2018.
view more »AHRQ Offers Assistance for Child Health Care Projects
Jan. 20, 2016 ||Agency collaborates with CMS to offer technical assistance to hospitals working on quality improvement projects for children in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
view more »HHS Announces More Than 120 New Medicare ACOs
Jan. 13, 2016 ||New ACOs are eligible for risk-bearing tracks with increased savings for positive patient outcomes and penalties for negative outcomes.
view more »PCORI Offers Funding, Seeks Ambassadors
Jan. 13, 2016 ||Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute initiatives support comparative effectiveness research, enlist advocates to raise awareness of research opportunities.
view more »CMS to Grant $157 Million for Clinical-Community Model
Jan. 6, 2016 ||New model will test whether clinical and community-based services alignment can improve care quality and affordability; letters of intent are due Feb. 8.
view more »Association Comments on Discharge Planning Rule
Dec. 23, 2015 ||Association generally supports move toward patient-centered care, but urges CMS to ensure provisions do not place an administrative burden on hospitals.
view more »Providers Can Impact Adverse Drug Events for Diabetes Patients
Nov. 6, 2015 ||Course will teach providers to use health literacy with diabetes patients, as well as glycemic target goals and patient-centered communication strategies.
view more »Patient Engagement is Critical to Infection Prevention
Oct. 19, 2015 ||International Infection Prevention Week, Oct. 18-24, raises awareness of patient and family engagement, hand hygiene in infection prevention and patient safety
view more »CMS to Host Call on Quality Report Dry Run for IRFs
Oct. 19, 2015 ||Oct. 20 call to discuss dry run quality report for inpatient rehabilitation facilities based on the all-cause unplanned readmission measure
view more »Essential Hospitals Face Larger VBP Penalties
Oct. 5, 2015 ||These findings come from GAO, which also found that essential hospitals narrowed this gap during the study, overall hospital performance didn’t change
view more »Hospitals: Review Quality Measure Reports by Oct. 7
Sept. 23, 2015 ||The dry run reports are for a new claims-based outcomes measure that will be included in the IQR Program starting in fiscal year 2018
view more »CMS to Host CVD Risk Payment Model Webinars
Sept. 23, 2015 ||The webinars will feature representatives from CMS answering questions about the model, registration is required.
view more »CVD Risk Payment Model Applications Due Oct. 8
Sept. 16, 2015 ||CMS has extended the deadline for the Million Hearts: CVD Risk Reduction Model due to high interest
view more »Association Objects to Required Participation in Bundled Payment Model
Sept. 9, 2015 ||Association calls on CMS to consider readiness of hospitals and challenges of caring for vulnerable in proposed CCJR model
view more »CVD Risk Payment Model Applications Due Sept. 10
Sept. 8, 2015 ||The Million Hearts: CVD Risk Reduction Model will incentivize providers to target high-risk Medicare beneficiaries for patient-centered care
view more »Medicare ACOs Improve Quality, Save Money
Aug. 28, 2015 ||Pioneer and MSSP ACOs showed improvement in at least 27 of 33 quality measures in last reporting period
view more »Closing the Gap between Education and Care
Aug. 19, 2015 ||With a grant from the AMA, UCSF is modernizing medical education with an innovative new curriculum focused more on the patient experience
view more »emPOWER Map Helps Hospitals Prepare for Electricity Outages
June 25, 2015 ||Interactive map tracks real-time weather, locations of Medicare patients who rely on electrically powered medical equipment
view more »Study Identifies Patient Characteristics, Conditions that Drive Readmission
May 19, 2015 ||AHRQ study shows heart disease drives readmissions overall, while orthopedic conditions drive same-hospital readmissions.
view more »New AHRQ Tool Fosters Patient-Provider Shared Decision Making
May 18, 2015 ||AHRQ offers an online toolkit, including accredited webinars and in-person workshops, to help clinicians implement its SHARED approach to decision making
view more »CMS Launches HCAHPS Five-Star Quality Ratings
April 19, 2015 ||CMS added five-star quality ratings based on the HCAHPS patient satisfaction survey to its Hospital Compare website
view more »New Test Improves Patient-Centered Care Among Physicians
March 23, 2015 ||Staff at the University of Missouri Health System developed a tool to ensure medical school graduates understand patient-centered care strategies.
view more »Youth Volunteer Leads Fundraiser for Tools to Reduce Patient Pain
March 10, 2015 ||At University Medical Center of Southern Nevada (UMC), one teen volunteer raised money to help vulnerable patients with their pain management
view more »How to Integrate Behavioral Health with Primary Care – Part 2
Dec. 8, 2014 ||The second installment in this series, essential hospitals share strategies for overcoming cost, culture, and communication issues
view more »How to Integrate Behavioral Health with Primary Care
Nov. 4, 2014 ||Essential hospitals share strategies for overcoming siloes between behavioral health and physical health care
view more »The Social Determinants of Health: Homelessness and Unemployment
Oct. 24, 2014 ||Essential hospitals are supporting patients in these areas with PCMHs, medical respite programs, and employment and housing programs
view more »A Blueprint for Patient Advisory Boards
Oct. 21, 2014 ||San Francisco General Hospital draws on lessons from its Family Health Center in new guidance on establishing patient advisory boards
view more »Using Technology to Engage Adolescents in Chronic Disease Care
July 15, 2014 ||A website and text message service helped UC San Diego researchers engage adolescent patients
view more »Defining the Patient Experience: Study Explains Why Words Matter
Jan. 31, 2014 ||Study IDs 35 words that can consistently explain the patient experience
view more »How to Recruit Patients as Partners
Sept. 23, 2013 ||Patient feedback helped Contra Costa make large-scale quality improvements
view more »Empowering Patients to Improve Health and Reduce Hospitalizations, ED Visits
July 26, 2013 ||SFGH’s Care Management Program offers focused care coordination and health coaching
view more »AHRQ Guide to Patient and Family Engagement
July 8, 2013 ||Four strategies that hospitals can use to implement patient-centered practices
view more »Pet Visitation Program Calms Cardiac Patients
April 29, 2013 ||The University Medical Center of El Paso program has helped boost patient morale and reduce stress levels
view more »Collaboration, Research Help Program Expand Access to Integrated Therapies
April 29, 2013 ||BMC efforts also are creating safer national and international alternative therapy policies
view more »Prevention Program Takes Aim at Risk Factors for Violence
Feb. 25, 2013 ||Denver Health’s AIM project helps victims of violence overcome trauma and lead less risky lives
view more »Residents Focus on Quality, Improve Their Education and Initiate Change
Jan. 28, 2013 ||A series of educational initiatives about quality supplement the standard curriculum
view more »Clerkship Redesign Brings Patient, Student Back Together
Jan. 28, 2013 ||Cambridge Health Alliance’s program enables students to follow patients across the course of their care
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