Miami Children's Hospital (MCH), one of the sponsors of the Institute's Hospitals Moving Forward Seminar held in Miami, FL in April 2006, serves children from Florida, the United States, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. This 268-bed facility -- the largest freestanding pediatric teaching hospital in the southeastern United States -- has served the region for more than 55 years.

The commitment of Miami Children's Hospital to family-centered care is reflected in its mission statement:

To provide excellent family-centered healthcare to children in an academic environment that meets or exceeds the expectations of those we serve and educate. To collaborate with others in our community to improve the health status of children.

This commitment is embraced at every level of the organization. Families are included in all aspects of care decision-making and receive care in an environment that is supportive of the individual needs of each child and family member. MCH is devoted to advancing family-centered care by welcoming families 24 hours a day to ensure consistent dialogue between family and staff.  Read More...

Liz Crocker admits that she questioned whether this book was necessary.

      "And then I interviewed a man who told me that his mother had been fired by her doctor for asking too many questions about pending chemotherapy. I remember thinking, in that instant, that this book was not only necessary, it was also important."

The value of respectful communication, a collaborative approach to patients and family members, and attitudes of empathy and compassion that are so obviously necessary are presented in the stories of Privileged Presence.

Consider the following:

"As Unique as Snowflakes:  Responding to Individuals"... meet a teenager who resents being referred to as a body part rather than by her name.. a nurse who decides to admit a patient's dog.. a family who have two medical consultations in a single day, one of which completely dismisses them while the other embraces them..

"When Life is Threatened: The Importance of Support"..meet a wife who felt abandoned to figure out on her own how to manage when her husband was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease... a woman who praised all aspects of her care as a breast cancer patient but who now is caught up in a bizarre and surreal tangle of incompetence as a cardiac patient.. a young father whose heroic journey through an extraordinary storm to get his pregnant wife to hospital was only the beginning of the tough decisions he would face..

"Being Together: The Power of Family"..meet a mother who fights to be with her remaining two children after two others have been killed in a car accident.. various health professionals who struggled with imposed restrictions on family involvement while their city tried to control an outbreak of SARS..

"Hope for the Future: Passion for the Possible"..meet a hospital administrator who involves patients and families in everything the hospital does following a medical error... a parent who was invited to work with her child's hospital to transform its culture..and more.

In addition to the more than fifty stories, Privileged Presence includes information about organizations leading efforts to change and improve health care as well as useful tools for those who want to become involved.

Institute for Family-Centered Care
Supports National Family Caregivers Month 2006

National Family Caregivers Month - observed every November - is nationally recognized to draw attention to the many challenges facing family caregivers, advocate for stronger public policy to address family caregiving issues, and raise awareness about community programs that support family caregivers. NFC Month is a time to thank, support, educate, and celebrate more than 50 million family caregivers across the country.

During National Family Caregiver Month and every day, NFCA encourages family caregivers to take three steps to make their lives easier, improve care and raise awareness about the issues that family caregivers face.

NFCA's caring every day messages are:

Believe in Yourself.
Protect Your Health.
Reach Out for Help.

To order a Family Caregiver Kit and participate in National Family Caregivers Month 2006, Call 800/896-3650 or visit www.thefamilycaregiver.org

We have extended our deadline for the Call for Papers, the last day to submit an abstract is November 8, 2006.  Visit our Web site to register your abstract submission.

We invite abstracts from health care professionals, patients and family leaders associated with adult health care, pediatrics, newborn intensive care, geriatrics, primary and preventative health care, cancer care, chronic illness care, emergency care, critical care, mental health, and public health. Priority consideration will be given to presentations that include health care professionals and patient/family leaders.

Papers are invited for, but not limited to, the following issues:

• Leadership for Advancing the Practice of Patient- and Family-Centered Care
• Developing and Sustaining Leadership Capacity of Patients and Family Advisors
• International Perspectives on Effective Partnerships
• Patient- and Family-Centered Primary Care
• Changing the Concept of Families as Visitors in Hospitals
• Supporting Patient- and Family-Centered Care through Information Technology
• Facility Design and Planning to Support Patient- and Family-Centered Practice
• Patient- and Family-Centered Curricula for the Health Professions
• Research Methodology and Findings for Patient- and Family-Centered Care
• Partnering with Patients and Families in Quality Improvement, Patient Safety, and Public Reporting of Outcomes and Perceptions of Care