At the BC Cancer Agency we strive to build our services around our patients and families.
We want to:
- put patients at the forefront of their health and care
- ensure that patients retain control over their choices
- help patients make informed decisions
- support partnerships between individuals, families and health professionals.
The terms “person-centred care”, “patient-centred care”, “personalized care” and “relationship-based care” are often used interchangeably. The core values and principles underlying these terms are similar: Health services are most effective when they are flexible and responsive to the needs and values of the person receiving care.
Our framework for understanding, addressing and measuring patient experience is based on the following elements. These are based on the “Picker Eight Dimensions of Patient-Centered Care”:
- respect for patients’ values, preferences and expressed needs
- emotional support and alleviation of fear and anxiety
- physical comfort
- information, communication and education
- continuity and transition
- coordination and integration of care
- access to care
- involvement of family and friends
- safety
For more about how these elements were developed, see the Professional Framework section.
Patient-centred care is a shared priority among the BC Ministry of Health, PHSA, the BC Cancer Agency and all of our physicians, staff, students and volunteers.
Find tools to engage patients and families in improving health and healthcare:
