MyMichigan Health Implements Relationship-Based Care as Our Care Model
What is Relationship-Based Care?
Relationship Based Care (RBC) is a culture transformation model and an operational framework that improves safety, quality, patient satisfaction, and staff satisfaction by improving every relationship within an organization. In an RBC culture, clinicians get reconnected with the purpose and meaning of their work, teamwork is based on deep commitment rather than surface-level compliance, and patients and their families feel safe and cared for as clinicians commit themselves to making authentic human connections with the people in their care. CHCM 2017.
Recognizing that the patient must be at the center of all we do, our RBC culture is committed to three key relationships:
- Self
- Colleagues/coworkers
- Patients/families
As a best practice to operationalize RBC, or bring it to life in our organization, MyMichigan Health has created a robust interdisciplinary Shared Governance structure which supports collaboration between nurses across our health system. The intention of shared governance is to create a venue that brings all stakeholders together to make decisions regarding practice. The primary goal is to have decision making responsibility at point of care with those providing the care involved in the process. Shared Governance focuses on patient care, the practice environment and professional practice and is supported by the ANA Code of Ethics.
MyMichigan Health registered nurses are encouraged to participate in Unit Practice Councils (UPCs) and any of the System Nursing Councils (SNCs); Recruitment and Retention Council, Nursing Excellence and Informatics, and Research. These councils report to Central Councils and the Coordinating Council. The purpose of each council:
- Unit Practice – provides a venue for the voices of staff members to impact decisions related to unit or department specific practices.
- System Nursing Councils – Provides a venue for staff from across the system to collaborate on a council with a specific focus.
- Central Councils – Are comprised of specific nursing specialties from across the system to review policy/procedures, job descriptions, equipment, competencies, overview of each UPCs work, and Best Practice sharing.
