'Inspired to Change,' illustrates patient-centered care

The American Journal of Nursing has selected the book, "Inspired to Change: Improving Patient Care One Story at a Time," by the University of Michigan Frankel Cardiovascular Center's Linda Larin, MBA, FACCA, FACHE, as one of the most valuable texts of 2014.

Larin is chief administrative officer at the Frankel CVC and associate hospital director for cardiovascular and neurosciences programs at the U-M Health System.

The "poignant, crisply edited" book was selected for a second place award in the category of history and public policy. It focuses on the importance of patient- and family-centered care to improve health outcomes.

The AJN reviewer Katheren Koehn, MA, RN, executive director Minnesota Organization of Registered Nurses, Minneapolis, says "patient-centered care is one of the most popular terms used to describe one of the essential aspects of an improved health care system."

Stories in the book are written from the perspective of patients, family members, and professional caregivers about patient care. Both heartbreaking and uplifting, the stories detail the reality and impact of those experiences.

Each chapter begins with a synopsis of opportunities for improvement that can help transform and redesign the healthcare delivery model of the future. Chapters conclude with lessons learned, useful resources, and recommended reading for improving the delivery of patient care.

"There are times when the stories tell of successful instances of patient-centered care and others when the team falls far short of the mark," according to the judge's description. "Yet, each of these stories can prompt every one of us to create true patient-centered care wherever we are."