• The ability to form and sustain true partnerships was the most important competency or health-care providers to acquire.
• Health-care providers who truly partner and attend to the relational processes of care within the health-care partnership can improve the autonomy of individuals to make decisions related to their health care and increase satisfaction with care.
• The person and their family are active partners in care and must be invited and involved in all care planning meetings and conferences to ensure their perspectives are kept central to planning and care and treatment options are personalized to meet the person’s needs and life circumstances.
• Health-care providers must consider the following factors:
1. Establishing a therapeutic relationship for true partnership, continuity of care, and shared decision: A therapeutic relationship helps to establish trust, partner, and share decisions on appropriate health care and services.
2. Care is organized around, and respectful of, the person: Care must be organized with and around the person and be respectful and reflective of the person’s voice, needs, culture, values, beliefs, and changing health states and life circumstances.
3. Knowing the whole person (holistic care): A person is not defined by their disease or their illness but should includes the philosophy of holism (biological, psychological, emotional, physical, personal, social, environmental, cultural, and spiritual).
4. Communication, collaboration, and engagement: Health-care providers should aim to develop relationships, communicate, collaborate, encourage partnerships, and share information related to decisions on health care and services.
• Empowerment of all participants within this relationship for health is a major goal of person- and family-centred care. To promote empowerment all persons within circle of care must understand their role in delivery of care to the person – who is doing what aspects of care & the desired level of engagement.