title: Issues in patient-focused care for the respiratory care practitioner.
abstract: Patient-focused care is the redesign of patient care so that personnel and resources are organized around the patient instead of departments. The reasons are many but usually involve cost reductions and improvement in the customer's perception of quality. Goals for this process include grouping patients by diagnosis, decentralizing services, and cross-training staff. The respiratory care practitioner is well prepared to fit into the patient-focused care model. Recent surveys show the impact of hospital restructuring on respiratory care to be rather positive.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Care Services, Scott & White Memorial Hospital, Scott, Sherwood and Brindley Foundation Temple, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Kimble
mesh_terms: D003663:Decision Trees; D006754:Hospital Restructuring / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012124:Respiratory Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012138:Respiratory Therapy