Evolving patient expectations and the urgent need for innovative care delivery is driving health care’s shift toward person-centered care models. During our recent webinar, “Person-Centered Care Model Design”, leading experts from Sentara Health, Baptist Health, and Mount Sinai shared actionable strategies for designing and implementing sustainable care models. Here, we've summarized the key insights, challenges, and strategies for successfully implementing person-centered models in a rapidly changing healthcare landscape.
What is a Person-Centered Care Model?
This approach prioritizes the holistic well-being of patients by tailoring care to their specific needs, preferences, and life contexts. By addressing both clinical and non-clinical factors, such as housing and mental health, person-centered models empower caregivers to deliver empathetic, efficient care that aligns with patients' lives. It goes beyond treating illness—it builds care models that fit into patients' lives while empowering providers to offer efficient, empathetic care.
Key Drivers Shaping Healthcare Transformation
Panelists, including Dr. Jordan Asher of Sentara Health, emphasized the challenges compelling health systems to rethink care models, including shifting patient expectations, workforce shortages, and financial pressures.
Consumerization of Healthcare
Patients expect convenience, access, and personalization. They want care tailored to their lives, like telehealth options, flexible appointment schedules, and commitment to health outcomes rather than episodic treatments.
Addressing Social Determinants of Health
Health systems need to think beyond clinical settings. Factors like housing stability, accessibility to nutritious foods, and mental health care have direct impacts on patients' overall well-being. Healthcare organizations are integrating services that examine and address these social determinants.
Provider and Staff Well-being
Tammy Graves, Senior Principal at Point B, highlighted how focusing on patient-centered models goes hand-in-hand with addressing provider burnout and the increasing pressure on healthcare teams. Building sustainable systems for both patients and caregivers is critical to long-term success.
Foundational Elements of Effective Care Model Design
Care model transformation requires a thoughtful, holistic approach. The panelists identified several foundational elements that health systems can adapt to ensure the success of their new strategies:
Start with Deep Patient Understanding
It’s impossible to design an effective care model without first deeply understanding your patient segments. Dan O’Donnell, Customer Executive at Point B, stressed the importance of analyzing patient data, listening to feedback, and designing personas to adapt to evolving demographics and needs.
Align Care and Operational Models
Effective care models are only successful when connected to operational, financial, and governance models. When care delivery innovations are not in lockstep with backend operations, fragmentation and misalignment often ensue.
Personalization Meets Technology
Technology is a powerful enabler. From AI-fueled predictive models to telehealth and remote patient monitoring, organizations that strategically leverage tech can improve patient outcomes and organizational efficiency.
Maintaining a Patient-First Approach
The panel recognized the challenges of keeping patient-first perspectives at the forefront amidst external pressures like reimbursement complications and limited resources. Some pragmatic strategies include:
- Implementing centralized systems to streamline services, such as bed management and staff coordination, which was successfully modeled by Mount Sinai Health System.
- Creating a triage-based appointment system that prioritizes patient acuity rather than standard scheduling practices, as pioneered by Sentara Health.
- Extending care to underserved communities with initiatives like Baptist Health's use of mobile vans to provide on-site clinical services in rural areas, as highlighted by Baptist Health’s Elizabeth Rowland, DNP, RN-BC.
Preparing for the Future of Care Models
What does the next decade hold for care model innovation? The panelists urged healthcare leaders to prepare for several key trends.
- The Continued Rise of Telehealth
Dr. Prameet Singh predicted an increased adoption of telemedicine, particularly in behavioral health, where it has proven effective for enhancing accessibility and patient adherence. - Integration of Physical and Mental Health
Combining physical and behavioral health services is no longer optional. Holistic care models that merge these disciplines will better serve patients and improve outcomes. - Creative and Inclusive Care Strategies
Dr. Jordan Asher emphasized the need to question traditional approaches and encourage creative problem-solving within healthcare teams—ensuring innovations meet the needs of both current and future patients.
Looking Ahead
The future of healthcare hinges on bold ideas and collaborative action. Adopting person-centered care models can improve outcomes, enhance efficiency, and support the well-being of both patients and caregivers.
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