Putting Women at the Center of Care

By the SPARQ Team

Expectations of poor-quality care deter women from accessing facility-based sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH), putting them at risk of avoidable health complications. While safety and efficacy of treatment are paramount, the way that women experience care is equally important and will dictate whether and how SRH services are accessed in the future.

Improving person-centered care is an effective strategy to ensure that women receive dignified and individualized care when seeking SRH services. Person-centered care (PCC) places the woman at the center of her care, adapting to her individual circumstances, desires, and needs. PCC advocates for autonomy in decision-making, consented and informed care, respectful and dignified interactions with patients, the right to privacy and confidentiality, and services that are free of abuse or discrimination.

This document summarizes strategies that have been demonstrated to improve the quality of PCC in family planning and maternity services in level 3, 4 and 5 hospitals in Nairobi and Kiambu counties in Kenya. The successful interventions described below can act as a roadmap for public facilities and their staff who seek to improve the way that women experience care in similar services.