Background: Patient-centered care (PCC) improves HIV adherence and retention, though lack of consensus on its conceptualization and understanding how it is interpreted has hindered implementation. Methods: We recruited 20 HIV providers at Ryan White Programs in FL for in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis identified core consistencies pertaining to: 1) provider perceptions, 2) current practices promoting PCC. Results: Provider perceptions of PCC emerged under four domains: 1) holistic, 2) individualized care, 3) respect for comfort and security, and 4) patient engagement and partnership. PCC practices occurred at multiple levels: 1) individual psychosocial and logistical support, 2) interpersonal support within patient-provider relationships through respectful communication and active engagement, and 3) institutional practices including feedback mechanisms, service integration, patient convenience, and diverse staffing. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the central tenets of PCC as respectful, holistic, individualized, and engaging care. We offer an HIV-adapted framework of PCC as a multilevel construct to guide future intervention.
Keywords: HIV; Ryan White Program; holistic care; patient-centered care; person-centered care; provider.
Patient-centered care perspectives among HIV care providersThis study explores HIV care provider perceptions of patient-centered care (PCC) by analyzing common themes that arose in interviews. We found that providers perceived PCC to be holistic, individualized care focused on respecting patient comfort and security and actively engaging them as partners in care. Providers discussed a variety of ways in which they practiced PCC at the individual service level through psychosocial and logistical support, through their interpersonal relationships with respectful communication and trust, and through more structured facility level policies and activities such as greater service integration and employing a diverse staff. PCC is rapidly becoming the new standard of care and this study hopes to offer insight into provider perceptions of PCC and examples of practice in the HIV care field.