What best describes patient-centered care?

• A. Care that follows clinician convenience.
• B. Care that prioritizes hospital profitability.
• C. Care that respects patient preferences, values, and needs.
• D. Care that avoids patient involvement.

Answer: (C)

Patient-centered care centers on honoring what matters to the patient—your preferences, values, and individual needs—through clear communication, informed choice, and active partnership in decisions about care. This means tailoring the plan to the person, explaining options in understandable terms, and supporting the patient in choosing a path that fits their life goals. The description that best fits this approach is care that respects patient preferences, values, and needs. The other descriptions describe focusing on clinician convenience, hospital profitability, or avoiding patient involvement, which undermine patient autonomy and the collaborative nature of true patient-centered care.