Relationship-centered care: achieving true value in healthcare.

Intuitively, most healthcare leaders and caregivers appreciate the significance of effective relationships and their probable connection with positive patient outcome and financial success. In light of the lack of empirical descriptions and support for these relationships, however, a reluctance is seen to ascribe significant value, energy, and financial resources to relationship building. We describe the national initiative sponsored by the Fetzer Institute to support the Relationship-Centered Care Network, describe a relationship model to gain a greater appreciation of the complexities of relationships, and share experiences of an organization that operates based on the principles of relationship-centered care.