What is PFCC?

Patient- and family-centered care is an approach to the planning, delivery and evaluation of healthcare that is grounded in mutually beneficial partnerships among healthcare providers, patients and families. It redefines the relationships in healthcare by placing an emphasis on collaborating with people of all ages, at all levels of care and in all healthcare settings. In patient- and family-centered care, patients and families define their “family” and determine how they will participate in care and decision-making. A key goal is to promote the health and well-being of individuals and families and to maintain their control.

This perspective is based on the recognition that patients and families are essential allies for quality and safety — not only in direct care interactions, but also in quality improvement, safety initiatives, education of health professionals, research, facility design and policy development.

Patient- and family-centered care leads to better health outcomes, improved patient and family experience of care, better clinician and staff satisfaction and wiser allocation of resources.

Access toolkits and resources to help you become more patient-centric in your practice.

Why PFCC?

"We will all be patients some day. Being a patient is not easy. And if we can make it just a little easier by doing one or two things to be more patient centric, we could make a difference. But being patient centric is not only good for our patients, it is good for our own hearts allowing us the opportunity to feel the purpose and value of our work."

Jennifer Kemp, MD, FACR
Vice Chair Quality and Operations
Body Imaging subspecialist

The Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care® has identified and defined these core concepts of PFCC:

  • Dignity and respect
  • Information sharing
  • Participation
  • Collaboration

All involved in the ACR® PFCC efforts are passionate about promoting and supporting these core concepts. Patients and families are essential allies for healthcare quality and safety — not only in direct care encounters but also in efforts to improve healthcare for all.

Access the PFCC toolkits and resources to become more patient-centric in your practice.

What the PFCC Means to Me

“At every step of my 13-year cancer experience, radiologists were key to helping me make the most important decisions in my life. The best radiologists recognize the value of what we feel as patients and our opinions and ideas matter — that is the key to the patient and family experience.

As a member of the ACR Commission on Patient- and Family-Centered Care, I take my role very seriously as a patient advocate, helping the field of radiology become more patient-centered.”

— Amanda Crowell Itliong