Realizing patient-centered care: putting patients in the center, not the middle.

In these challenging times, healthcare executives must make difficult decisions when setting goals and allocating resources within their organizations. Patient-centered care means putting the patient in the center, not in the middle. Hospitals should view the world through the patient's and organize care around the patient. Investing in patient-centered care as an expression of mission, vision, and values is the right thing to do and has the potential to increase patient volumes and revenue. Realizing patient-centered care requires shared understanding, top leadership that can own and embrace the vision, engaged caregivers, and involved patients. There is an undeniable element of customer service in patient-centered care: Lessons from the retail industry can take us beyond merely meeting expectations to exceeding them.