Current scientific approaches to understanding patient-centered healthcare

Demographic changes, the digitalization of society and medicine, and economic crises have created an urgent need to shift from a biomedical healthcare system focused on diseases and medical technologies to new models of healthcare delivery. When discussing new concepts of healthcare development, terms such as patient-centeredness and patient-centered medical care are frequently used, but without clear definition. To analyze the terminology related to the development of patient-centered healthcare at the present stage. The reference sources were reviewed and selected using keywords and their combinations in Russian and foreign electronic library systems and databases. The analysis has shown that patient-centeredness is considered in several contexts: as a conceptual framework for healthcare development, a healthcare delivery model, a principle of healthcare organization, and a defining characteristic of healthcare services, medical institutions, and healthcare professionals. The fundamental characteristics of patient-centeredness include treating patients as individuals, considering their lived experiences, collaborative decision-making, and effective communication between patients and healthcare providers. Patient-centeredness is the basis of many healthcare concepts and models, which have similar ideological foundations. It may be considered as a principle of healthcare provision, which is based on the high responsiveness of the healthcare system and its representatives at all levels to the patient’s wishes regarding the process and results of the provision of healthcare services, as well as advanced healthcare capabilities.