The principles argue in favor of an approach that respects families as integral and coequal parts of the health care team.
In some health systems, patients and family members serve as advisers to the hospital in order to provide input that can lead to general quality improvement efforts.
This definition of family was developed in consultation with the Healthcare Equality Index Advisory Council, Gay and Lesbian Medical Association and Joint Commission staff members.
This is designed to ensure visitor access for the individuals most responsible for the care of a minor patient, even if this caretaker relationship lacks formal recognition under applicable state law.
For instance, applicable state law may dictate that only a biological or custodial parent may determine the course of medical care for a minor child.
"Care partners" are also invited to take an active role in "rounds," providing feedback and asking questions reflective of theirs and the patient's wishes or concerns.
The traditional model of care centered on physicians, and an expectation that patients and their families would assume a passive role as an observer, rather than a participant.
In the United States, this was further encouraged by Federal legislation in the late 1980s and early 1990s that provided additional validation on the importance of family-centered principles.
Indeed, evidence suggested anxiety levels and general cardiovascular health were positively affected after the implementation of family-centered care, leading to fewer medical interventions being required (physical or chemical therapies in particular).
A study undertaken at the University of Virginia's Children's Hospital[13] showed that sharing information and involving family in a patient's care (via the family-centered care model described previously) had the following effects: A study conducted at eight hospitals demonstrated that implementing family-centered rounds, an intervention to standardize communication between families and healthcare providers, reduced the rate of harmful medical errors.
[21] A research study published in Denmark in 2015, examined the effect of nursing support on parents of children admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.