Commentary: Swedish initiative on person centred care

TLDR

The Swedish person‑centred care initiative is led by a dedicated unit at the University of Gothenburg, funded by the government (€10 m) as part of a broader university research stimulus. The unit focuses on people with long‑term conditions, conducting research, developing educational resources such as courses, and supporting implementation of person‑centred care programmes in hospitals and primary care by guiding service redesign and providing ongoing support. Feedback from managers and clinicians indicates that strengthening shared decision‑making between patients and clinicians boosts professional satisfaction.

Abstract

The Swedish approach to implementing person centred care is being led and evaluated by a dedicated unit established in 2010 at the University of Gothenburg. The unit focuses primarily on people living with long term conditions. It is funded by the Swedish government (€10m; £8m; $12m) as part of a broad initiative to stimulate research at Swedish universities. The centre conducts research, develops and distributes educational resources such as courses for health professionals and students , and facilitates implementation of person centred care programmes in local hospitals and primary care centres by providing guidance on reshaping services and ongoing support. Feedback from managerial and clinical staff suggests that reinforcing shared decision making between patients and clinicians increases professional satisfaction.1 From the outset patient representatives have …