Why Should We Care “What Matters Most” to Our Patients and their Families?
Published June 27, 2016
Mary Ann Dragon, Director, Patient and Family Services, Rainbow Babies and Children’s’ and MacDonald Women’s Hospitals University Hospitals, discusses why we should care about what matters most to patients and families. Communicating and making connections show us how to individualize care to support patient and family engagement and participation in the plan of care.
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Innovation & Technology | Patient Family & Community Engagement | Policy & Measurement
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Published February 25, 2026

Darcel Jackson, Manager, Patient and Family Centered Care Paige Warner, PFA Engagement Specialist Children’s National Hospital For years, patient and family engagement in healthcare has been framed as offering “a seat at the table.” While well-intended, that language often limits partnership to presence rather than influence. Our experience taught us that families don’t need a
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Background: Family-centered care (FCC) is essential in pediatric and neonatal intensive care units (PICUs), potentially increasing parent satisfaction and reducing length of hospital stay, but evidence of its effectiveness is inconsistent. Objective: To assess the effects of FCC interventions on parent satisfaction and length of hospital stay in PICUs. Methods: A systematic review was conducted, with 17
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