"This Is ME": Promoting Person-Centred Care within the Digital Health Environment

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Patient-Centered Care
• Medical Sociology

Background:

• Traditional electronic health records (EHRs) often lack personal patient context.
• There is a growing need for humanistic approaches in healthcare to improve patient-provider relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate the "This Is ME" initiative, integrating patient personal narratives into EHRs.
• To explore the impact of patient stories on provider-patient communication and relationship-building.

Main Methods:

• Modified the summary page of electronic health records to include patient-generated stories.
• Collected data on the number of stories shared and healthcare providers involved.
• Evaluated the initiative's effectiveness and gathered recommendations.

Main Results:

• Over 1,246 patient stories were shared with more than 300 healthcare providers.
• The initiative facilitated the inclusion of personal details like family, hobbies, and interests.
• Demonstrated potential for enhanced conversation and relationship-building.

Conclusions:

• The "This Is ME" initiative successfully integrated patient narratives into EHRs, promoting a more humanistic perspective.
• Incorporating patient stories can significantly improve communication and strengthen the therapeutic alliance.
• Recommendations are provided for organizations seeking to implement similar patient-centered initiatives.