A new report asks, “How are we doing?” when it comes to person-centered care in the health care system.
A new report and infographic from the Center for Consumer Engagement in Health Innovation and the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston tracks the extent to which older adults experience person-centered care in the health care system.
The research, supported by The SCAN Foundation, does not focus on resident engagement in the aging services sector.
Tracking Progress on Person-Centered Care for Older Adults: How Are We Doing? defines person-centered care “to mean that individuals’ values and preferences are elicited and, once expressed, guide all aspects of their health care, supporting their realistic health and life goals.”
During their study, researchers Jane Tavares, Ann Hwang, and Marc Cohen analyzed the 2014 and 2016 Health and Retirement Study, and measured:
- The extent to which older adults experience person-centered care in the health care system.
- Differences by race, income, and other variables.
- How receipt of person-centered care affects overall health care satisfaction and service utilization.
FINDINGS
Two-thirds of individuals over age 50 participating in the 2016 Health and Retirement Study reported that, over the past year, the health care system “usually” or “always” took their preferences for care into account. One-third of respondents reported that their care preferences were “sometimes” or “never” taken into account by the health care system.
While there was little variation in results across age groups, results varied greatly by race, according to the researchers.
Nearly 1 in 4 Hispanics (22.7%) reported never having their preferences taken into account by the health care system, compared to roughly 1 in 10 non-Hispanic whites (8%) and 1 in 6 non-Hispanic Blacks (16.3%). Between 2014 and 2016, only non-Hispanic whites and other non-Hispanic groups showed modest improvements in their ratings.
Individuals reporting that the health care system never or only sometimes took their preferences into account were:
- More likely to report lower levels of household income and wealth, and poor or fair health.
- Less likely to have used hospital care over the preceding 2 years. This group also reported far fewer doctor visits, home care use, specialty visits, or outpatient surgeries.
Individuals who reported that the health care system usually or always took their care preferences into account were far more likely to report:
- Having a usual source of care.
- Being satisfied with health care and the extent to which their preferences were taken into account.
“When people’s preferences are ignored, they are more likely to forgo medical care and report lower satisfaction with the health care system,” write the authors. “New efforts are needed to strengthen and advance person-centered care, particularly for people of color and low-income populations.”
READ THE FULL REPORT
To access the full report and infographic, visit the Center for Consumer Engagement in Health Innovation website.
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