Putting Patients First: Designing and Practicing Patient-Centered Care

Putting Patients First is a complete guide to patient-centered care — the highly successful philosophy that has been championed and refined by the renowned Planetree Institute. This important volume explains the origins and uses of patient-centered care and provides a practical approach to implementing it in any health care organization. Step by step, the book clearly outlines the elements of the highly successful Planetree patient-centered care model and includes the validating research.
This much-needed resource shows how to apply these methods to the larger issues of health care delivery such as managed care, workforce shortages, patients; "right to know" legislation, and hospital marketing and branding efforts. Putting Patients First is filled with illustrative case examples drawn from hospitals and health care organizations that have successfully implemented the Planetree model.

Susan B. Frampton is executive director of Planetree. She speaks widely on cultural and organizational practices, patient-centered care, and health care consumerism.

Laura Gilpin is director of the Planetree Alliance. She has served as a staff nurse and as the first patient educator and arts coordinator with Planetree.

Patrick A. Charmel is president and chief executive officer of Griffin Health Services Corporation.