Putting Patients First is a complete guide to patient-centered care — the highly successful philosophy that has been championed and refined by the renowned Planetree Institute. This important volume explains the origins and uses of patient-centered care and provides a practical approach to implementing it in any health care organization. Step by step, the book clearly outlines the elements of the highly successful Planetree patient-centered care model and includes the validating research. This much-needed resource shows how to apply these methods to the larger issues of health care delivery such as managed care, workforce shortages, patients; "right to know" legislation, and hospital marketing and branding efforts. Putting Patients Firs t is filled with illustrative case examples drawn from hospitals and health care organizations that have successfully implemented the Planetree model.