New Hospital Engagement Guide
AHRQ Releases New Guide to Help Hospitals Engage Patients and Families in Their Health Care
Press Release Date: July 8, 2013
A new resource available online today from HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) gives hospitals four evidence-based strategies to engage patients and families in their care. The field-tested strategies outlined in AHRQ’s new Guide to Patient and Family Engagement in Hospital Safety and Quality can help hospitals make care better and safer by bridging the communication gaps among patients and families and their health care providers.
“Many of the errors we see in health care stem from communication problems,” said AHRQ Director Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D. “That’s why we developed this resource, to give hospitals practical, evidence-based information to improve communication on the front lines of health care – and ultimately keep patients safer.”
The guide provides four evidence-based strategies that hospitals can use to implement patient- and family-centered care practices. Each strategy includes educational tools and resources for patients and families, training materials for health care professionals and real-world examples that show how strategies are being implemented in hospital settings.