This invaluable Patient- And Family-centered Care Organizational Self-assessment Tool, developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in collaboration with the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality and the Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care, is designed to help healthcare organizations like yours elevate their standards. It offers a structured approach to understanding and evaluating the various facets of patient- and family-centered care currently implemented within your organization. By utilizing this tool, you can benchmark your current practices against the leading edge in the field. Whether you aim to assess your performance across specific elements of patient- and family-centered care or simply want to initiate meaningful discussions about patient-centeredness, this self-assessment tool is the perfect starting point.
Utilizing the Self-Assessment Tool Effectively
To gain the most comprehensive insights, it is crucial to assemble a diverse team to complete the assessment. This team should comprise individuals from across your organization, including both caregivers and providers representing various departments and programs. Leadership involvement is equally vital, spanning from front-line managers to executive officers. Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, ensure that patient and family advisors are integral members of this assessment team, bringing their invaluable perspectives to the table.
Once your team is assembled, systematically review each question within the tool. For each question, collaboratively determine a rating from 1 to 5, where 1 signifies low implementation and 5 represents high implementation. If the team is unsure about a particular aspect, select “Do not know.”
The rating process is not merely about assigning numbers; it’s a crucial opportunity for team discussion and deeper understanding. For each question, engage in conversations to define what achieving a “5” rating truly means for your organization. Discuss the tangible indicators that would demonstrate a “5” level of performance and identify the steps necessary to consistently reach this ideal state.
For questions marked “Do not know,” initiate further team discussion to explore the reasons behind the uncertainty. Investigate why this knowledge gap exists, determine how the information can be obtained, and evaluate the importance of acquiring this knowledge for improving patient- and family-centered care.
Following the completion of the self-assessment, consolidate the findings to create a summary of your organization’s current standing. Based on this summary, define clear next steps. Prioritize the areas that are most critical for your organization to address to enhance patient- and family-centered care. Recognize and celebrate your existing strengths, identifying areas where your organization excels and how these successes can be amplified and shared. Critically, seek further input from patient and family advisors to guide the prioritization of your next steps, ensuring that improvement efforts are truly aligned with the needs and preferences of those you serve.
