Optimizing “People-Centred Care” Best Practices in a Multi-Site Community Hospital: A Case Study

Objective: In 2016, The World Health Organization issued a People-Centred Care Policy Framework highlighting the importance of engaging and empowering people and communities, where care is coordinated around people’s unique needs and preferences, is affordable, timely and safe. A multi-site community hospital set out to advance patient and family engagement through the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) Best Practice Guideline (BPG) on People Centred Care (PCC) and a modification of the Health Quality Ontario Patient Family Engagement Framework. Methods: This intervention study implemented the BPG for PCC with several initiatives directed towards improving patients’ perception of their involvement in care through changes in documentation and staff education. Repeated measures were collected pre and post intervention from a random sample of discharged patients in the spring of 2025. Results: Post intervention, survey findings indicated a 2.3% increase in patients’ perceptions of being involved in their care, a 1.2% increase in patients’ perceptions of being genuinely cared for, and a 30% reduction in overall complaints received. Beyond the evaluation period the inpatient complaint rate remained below the baseline at 2.1. Additional analysis suggested a positive correlation between involvement in care and other key patient experience indicators. Patients who feel more involved in their care, also feel genuinely cared for, more confident and more informed at discharge. Conclusions: Using a formal RNAO PCC BPG implementation process led to higher rates on the PCC care indicators and decreased number of patient complaints.