Putting Patients’ Goals And Needs At The Center Of Care: How Can We Do Better?

Navigating the health care system in the United States can be challenging. It’s complex, it’s expensive, and services are often fragmented. Unfortunately, a byproduct of the way things are currently organized is that patients and families often do not feel that their unique perspectives and broader health needs are considered as part of treatment decisions. In recent decades, many individuals and organizations have worked tirelessly to improve the patient-centeredness of health care to help ensure that the goals and needs of patients and family members are at the center of decision making.