Planetree International Recognizes Six NYC Health + Hospitals Locations for their Commitment to Enhancing the Staff, Patient and Family Experience in Health Care Settings
Certification recognizes “Excellence in Person-Centered Care,” which improves staff, patient and family engagement while delivering better patient outcomes, lower rates of staff burnout, and lower costs of care delivery Planetree International works with health care systems and organizations across the globe
Aug 31, 2023
NYC Health + Hospitals today announced that six of its facilities have been certified by Planetree International for excellence in person-centered care. Planetree International works with organizations across the globe to enhance the staff, patient and family experience in health care settings. Over three years, these six sites met several criteria to provide high-quality care, improve clinical outcomes, enhance patient experience, and develop workforce recruitment and retention. Planetree’s model of patient, family, staff, and community engagement has shown to improve patient outcomes, lower rates of staff burnout, and lower costs. The organization recognized NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, Elmhurst, Jacobi, Kings County, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, East New York and Morrisania.
“At NYC Health + Hospitals we pride ourselves on our high quality care and empathy, and this certification recognizes the hard work our staff do every day to ensure our patients and their families receive the best care,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and Chief Executive Officer Mitchell Katz, MD. “We are committed to providing a kinder care experience where patients and their families feel valued and included in healthcare decision-making, and we’re proud to do this work as the largest municipal health care system in the nation.”
“The experience of NYC Health + Hospitals shows what can be accomplished when a team of deeply committed, supremely innovative and highly-driven caregivers take the courageous leap to re-define priorities and re-organize systems to put patients first,” said Planetree International President Susan Frampton.
“Applying a person-centered care lens has been one of the driving forces that continues to move our system from quality assurance to improvement. It has given us the framework to close some of the gaps on health equity by enhancing performance improvement capacity and incorporating input from our patients and workforce,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer Eric Wei, MD, MBA. “It is because of person-centered care practices and those championing the charge, that we have learned best practices and will be able to maximize access, inclusion, equity, and partnership to raise the quality of care for patients, and the culture in which our employees work.”
The first cohort of sites to complete the person-centered certification are:
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, Silver
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, Silver
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi, Silver
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, Silver
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, East New York, Bronze
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Morrisania, Bronze
The criteria for person-centered care include:
- Partnering with patients and their loved ones, which can include shared decision-making, compassionate and empathetic communication, and having the patient identify their treatment goals.
- Increasing family involvement and presence in all aspects related to patient care.
- Supporting providers and staff, which can include emotional support and participation in decisions that impact their work.
- Tailoring care to meet the individual needs, values and preferences of patients and their loved ones.
- Making data-driven improvements, including data on clinical quality, patient experience, and staff and provider engagement and well-being.
Certification was awarded to each location following a rigorous application process, and a site visit by representatives from Planetree International; focus groups with patients, families and staff; and a review of quality of care measures and patient outcomes.
For more information on Planetree International’s Person-Centered Care Certification Program, visit planetree.org/certification.
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MEDIA CONTACT: 212-788-3339; PressOffice@nychhc.org
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About Planetree International
Planetree International is a mission based not-for-profit organization that has partnered with over 700 health care organizations around the world and across the care continuum to transform how care is delivered. Powered by over 50,000 focus group attendees comprised of patients, families, and staff, and 40 years of experience working with health care organizations, the Planetree approach emphasizes the quality of human interactions that occur within health care settings, the importance of connecting health care personnel to the purpose and meaning of their work, and practical strategies for engaging patients and family members as true partners in care. These elements have been consolidated into the Person-Centered Care Certification® Program, which provides organizations with a structured process to guide culture change efforts that yield improvements in clinical and operational outcomes. Drawing on this experience, in 2017 Planetree International partnered with the National Academy of Medicine to introduce an evidence-based Guiding Framework for Patient and Family Engaged Care.