Diverse hands forming a heart shape symbolizing relationship-centered care.

Beyond Patient-Centered Care: Embracing Holistic Relationships in Healthcare

Samir D’Costa in Health & Wellness June 2025 • 4 min read.

"Discover why relationship-centered care is the key to improving patient outcomes and clinician well-being in today's healthcare landscape."

In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, the focus has traditionally been on either the patient or the healthcare provider. However, a more holistic approach is gaining traction: relationship-centered care (RCC). This model emphasizes the importance of the relationship between patients, their families, and healthcare teams. It acknowledges that optimal healthcare outcomes are achieved when there is mutual respect, understanding, and collaboration.

The concept of patient-centered care rose to prominence in 2001, advocating for aligning medical treatment with patient preferences. While well-intentioned, this approach can sometimes create a binary choice: prioritize the patient's immediate desires or the clinician's medical expertise. Simultaneously, healthcare systems are grappling with clinician burnout, highlighting the need to address the well-being of those providing care.

Relationship-centered care offers a balanced solution. It recognizes that both patients and healthcare providers have unique needs and perspectives that should be valued. By fostering strong relationships built on trust and compassion, RCC aims to improve patient satisfaction, enhance clinical outcomes, and promote a healthier work environment for healthcare professionals.

Why Relationship-Centered Care Matters

Diverse hands forming a heart shape symbolizing relationship-centered care.

Relationship-centered care (RCC) is not just another buzzword; it's a fundamental shift in how healthcare is delivered. Unlike patient-centered care, which can sometimes lead to demands for treatments that may not be medically sound, RCC emphasizes a collaborative approach. It acknowledges the expertise of healthcare providers while also respecting the patient's autonomy and preferences. Several factors contribute to the increasing importance of RCC:

Effective communication is the cornerstone of RCC. When healthcare providers take the time to listen to their patients, understand their concerns, and explain treatment options clearly, patients are more likely to adhere to medical advice and experience better outcomes. This open dialogue also allows providers to gain a deeper understanding of the patient's values and goals, leading to more personalized care.

Improved Patient Satisfaction: Patients who feel heard and understood are more satisfied with their care.
Better Clinical Outcomes: Stronger patient-provider relationships lead to improved adherence to treatment plans and better health outcomes.
Reduced Clinician Burnout: When clinicians feel supported and valued, they are less likely to experience burnout.
Enhanced Trust: Trust is essential for effective healthcare. RCC fosters trust between patients and providers, leading to more open and honest communication.

The principles of RCC can be applied in various healthcare settings, from primary care to specialized treatment centers. The key is to create a culture that values relationships and prioritizes communication. Healthcare organizations can implement training programs to help providers develop their communication skills and learn how to build rapport with patients. They can also create systems that encourage teamwork and collaboration among healthcare professionals.

The Future of Healthcare is Relational

As healthcare continues to evolve, relationship-centered care offers a path toward a more compassionate, effective, and sustainable system. By prioritizing relationships, fostering trust, and valuing the perspectives of all stakeholders, healthcare can improve outcomes for both patients and providers. The shift towards RCC requires a commitment from healthcare organizations, policymakers, and individual practitioners, but the potential benefits are immense.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1177/2374373518761511, Alternate LINK

Title: Editor’S Letter

Subject: Health Policy

Journal: Journal of Patient Experience

Publisher: SAGE Publications

Authors: Adrienne Boissy

Published: 2018-03-01

Everything You Need To Know

What is Relationship-centered care?

Relationship-centered care (RCC) is a holistic approach that emphasizes the importance of the relationship between patients, their families, and healthcare teams. Unlike patient-centered care, which prioritizes aligning medical treatment with patient preferences, RCC emphasizes a collaborative approach that values both patient autonomy and healthcare provider expertise. It acknowledges that optimal healthcare outcomes are achieved when there is mutual respect, understanding, and collaboration. This approach seeks to create a more balanced approach to healthcare delivery.

Why is Relationship-centered care important?

The significance of Relationship-centered care (RCC) lies in its potential to transform healthcare by improving patient outcomes, enhancing clinician well-being, and fostering a more sustainable healthcare system. RCC recognizes that strong relationships built on trust and compassion are essential for effective healthcare. This is a shift away from patient-centered care, which can sometimes lead to binary choices. By prioritizing relationships, RCC can lead to better patient satisfaction, improved adherence to treatment plans, reduced clinician burnout, and enhanced trust between patients and providers. These factors collectively contribute to a healthcare system that is more compassionate and effective.

What are the implications of Relationship-centered care?

The implications of adopting Relationship-centered care (RCC) are far-reaching. It necessitates a fundamental shift in how healthcare is delivered, moving beyond solely patient-centered care. This shift requires healthcare organizations to create a culture that values relationships and prioritizes communication, which may involve implementing training programs to develop communication skills and teamwork. For patients, this means feeling heard, understood, and more satisfied with their care, leading to better health outcomes. For healthcare providers, RCC can reduce burnout and create a healthier work environment. The wider implication is the potential for a more sustainable healthcare system that benefits both patients and providers.

What are the factors that highlight the importance of Relationship-centered care?

Several factors contribute to the increasing importance of Relationship-centered care (RCC). It fosters effective communication which is the cornerstone of RCC. Open dialogue allows providers to gain a deeper understanding of the patient's values and goals, leading to more personalized care. Improved patient satisfaction, better clinical outcomes, reduced clinician burnout and enhanced trust, are all contributing factors. As healthcare systems grapple with clinician burnout, and the focus on aligning medical treatment with patient preferences, RCC offers a balanced solution that addresses the needs of both patients and healthcare providers.

Where can Relationship-centered care be applied?

The principles of Relationship-centered care (RCC) can be applied across various healthcare settings, from primary care to specialized treatment centers. The key is to create a culture that values relationships and prioritizes communication. Healthcare organizations can implement training programs to help providers develop their communication skills and learn how to build rapport with patients. They can also create systems that encourage teamwork and collaboration among healthcare professionals. The approach promotes effective communication, personalization, and a supportive environment, all contributing to better patient care and provider well-being.