A roadmap for a delivery system that partners with patients, families

A new roadmap developed by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, in collaboration with the American Institutes for Research, aims to improve healthcare delivery through greater partnerships with patients and families.

The report, “Roadmap for Patient and Family Engagement in Healthcare Practice and Research,” reflects decades of evidence, knowledge and experience gleaned from more than 70 individuals and 60 organizations representing patients, healthcare professionals, payers, purchasers and policymakers. It provides unified best practices and “clear, sustainable actions” to engage patients and families, according to the foundation.

The roadmap “includes simple, practical actions that all participants in the healthcare system can take today to effectively partner with patients and families to improve how care is delivered, how healthcare delivery is designed and governed and ensure that policy is responsive to their needs,” said Kristin Carman, vice president of health policy research in the  health and social development program at the American Institutes for Research. Eight strategies outlined include:

1. Patient and Family Preparation: Educate, prepare and empower patients and family members to engage effectively in their health and healthcare.

2. Clinician and Leadership Preparation: Educate, prepare and empower clinicians and healthcare leaders to partner effectively with patients and families.

3. Care and System Redesign: Redesign system processes, policies and structures to provide opportunities for and support of partnerships between patients, families and the healthcare team.

4. Organizational Partnership: Redesign healthcare organizations to include patients and families in the governance structure.

5. Measurement and Research: Create measures and conduct research to improve care, facilitate changes in processes and assess the relationships between outcomes, experiences and engagement.

6. Transparency and Accountability: Make data and information transparent to promote organizational accountability for quality and safety and to empower patients and families in their health and healthcare.

7. Legislation and Regulation: Encourage patient and family engagement through regulation and legislation.

8. Partnership in Public Policy: Identify and provide opportunities to integrate patient and family perspectives into public policy.

Learn more about the roadmap here.