The Patient Care Partnership (PCP) is a plain language brochure developed by the American Hospital Association (AHA) to articulate what a patient can expect during a hospital stay. Published in 2003, the PCP replaced the older, legally-focused Patient’s Bill of Rights. Its purpose is to foster better communication and understanding between patients and healthcare providers, emphasizing a collaborative relationship. The PCP informs patients about their expectations, rights, and responsibilities, promoting involvement in their own health decisions and ensuring they receive respectful care.
The Six Core Expectations for Patients
The Patient Care Partnership outlines six major expectations for patients receiving hospital care, beginning with the assurance of high-quality care. This means the hospital provides treatment with skill, compassion, and respect, ensuring the patient receives necessary care when it is needed. Patients are also entitled to a clean and safe environment, requiring the hospital to use specific policies and procedures to minimize errors and prevent harm or neglect.
Involvement in their own care is another core expectation. Patients have the right to be informed about their diagnosis, treatment options, and expected outcomes. This includes the right to make decisions about the care plan and to refuse recommended treatments, provided the medical consequences of refusal are understood. The protection of privacy is also guaranteed, governed by state and federal laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Patients should expect help when leaving the hospital. The healthcare team coordinates services and provides information for a smooth transition to home or other facilities, including support with follow-up appointments and medication management after discharge. The final expectation concerns help with billing claims, where hospital staff assist the patient in filing claims with insurers and finding financial assistance if the patient lacks health coverage.
Understanding Patient Responsibilities
The success of the Patient Care Partnership relies on patients fulfilling certain duties to ensure optimal care. Patients are expected to be truthful and forthcoming with their healthcare providers, offering a complete and accurate medical history, including past illnesses, current medications, and any known allergies. This information is necessary for the care team to make sound treatment decisions.
Patients are also responsible for cooperating with the agreed-upon treatment plan established by their physician. This includes following the instructions of nurses and other health professionals and asking questions if they do not understand the plan. Showing consideration for the rights of other patients and hospital personnel is also an obligation, which includes being respectful of hospital policies and property.
Finally, patients are accountable for meeting their financial obligations for the care received and providing the necessary insurance information for claims processing. Patients should also recognize the impact of their lifestyle on their personal health and take responsibility for following preventive measures. If patients have a written advance directive or living will, they are encouraged to provide copies to their care team so their wishes can be honored.
Scope and Legal Standing
The Patient Care Partnership functions primarily as an ethical and educational guide for institutions that are members of the American Hospital Association. It is distributed as a document to promote a higher standard of interaction and communication between patients and providers. It is important to understand that the PCP is not a federal law, nor is it a legally enforceable contract.
The document sets an ethical standard for patient-centered care across the member organizations. Hospitals frequently use the framework of the PCP to develop their own internal policies and communication protocols. While the document itself is not legally binding, some concepts it discusses, such as patient privacy, are protected by separate federal and state laws like HIPAA. The PCP serves as a guide for what good healthcare practice should look like.