Health Care Costs and Patient-Centered Care *

Patient-centered care is a high priority in Canada’s health care system. There is considerable Canadian and international evidence that patient-centered care has positive benefits for patient satisfaction, patient adherence, patient health outcomes such as reduction of concern, better self-reported health and and improved physiological status. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Study found that patient-centered care was associated with not only improved health outcomes but also fewer diagnostic tests. This finding implied a potential for cost savings. The present-day context that both prioritizes patient-centered care and clearly requires cost constraint led us to re-analyze the Patient-Centered Outcomes Study data. The perspective for the costing was that of the provincial government’s health costs. Costs of diagnostic investigations were determined for each person.