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The landmark publication by the Institute of Medicine (IOM, 2001), Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century, provided the impetus for the Health Professions Education: A Bridge to Quality report, which identified five core competencies that guide health educators in addressing quality issues in today's health care environment (Knebel & Greiner, 2003). Although geared toward health education programs, these core competencies are applicable to organizations that aim to transform work places into ones that provide exemplary care. Relationship-Based Care (RBC) operationalizes the core competencies established by the IOM by providing a framework for care delivery. The purpose of this article is to describe RBC and its applicability in implementing the IOM's core competencies in hospitals to promote optimal patient outcomes.
Keywords: Relationship-Based Care; Institute of Medicine; health care; quality; Quality Chasm
The landmark publication by the Institute of Medicine (IOM, 2001) Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century provided the impetus for the Health Professions Education: A Bridge to Quality report, which identified five core competencies that guide health educators in addressing quality issues in today's health care environment (Knebel & Greiner, 2003). These seminal works have been foundational in driving health care practices in today's health care environments. The core competencies of providing patient-centered care, working in interdisciplinary teams (IDTs), employing evidence-based practice (EBP), applying quality improvement, and using informatics serve as a framework for developing strategies for successful health care outcomes. Although geared toward health education programs, these core competencies are applicable to organizations that aim to transform work places into ones that provide exemplary care. Relationship-Based Care (RBC) operationalizes the core competencies established by the IOM. Based on caring theories and grounded in the elements of leadership, teamwork, professional practice, care delivery, resources, and outcomes, RBC places the patient at the heart of everything the organization does by creating a caring and healing environment (Koloroutis, 2004).
Although health care workers strive for quality,
Quality problems are occurring in the hands of healthcare professionals highly dedicated to doing a good job, but working within a system that does not adequately prepare them, or support them, once they are in practice, to achieve the best for their patients. (IOM, 2001, p. 2)
Preparation...