Utilizing an Autoethnographic Case Study Approach to Explore Patient-Centered Care and Its Principles in an Oncology and Palliative Care Setting

Abstract

In this article, an autoethnographic case study approach is used to explore the first author’s experience with both oncology and palliative care services. Connections are made to the literature, with a specific focus on the eight patient-centered principles and the benefits of adherence to these principles in a health context. When health professionals do not address treatment from this perspective, consequences for the patient can be negative. The aim of this article is to use the first author’s lived experience to explore the pertinence of maintaining the patient’s centrality in care planning. It is also argued that patient-centered care is the rhetoric within contemporary funding models rather than the reality of practice. Henceforth, recommendations for health-care professionals are also provided. Each of the eight principles is discussed in accordance with the first author’s perspective, as she lives each day with advanced cancer which will ultimately claim her life.