Written by two distinguished leaders in midwifery, this text provides a comprehensive examination of an effective model of group care. This book describes basic tenets of the Centering Healthcare model, which brings together cohorts of people with similar health care needs in a group setting for care. Chapters discuss the landscape leading to the model's development, its use in clinical practice, and its widespread and continuing growth as an effective alternative to traditional care.

Interspersed with comments and stories from Centering participants and health care professionals, the chapters emphasize the power of facilitative leadership that encourages behavior change and personal empowerment. Applicable in most health care settings, domestically and around the world, this book will be an invaluable resource for use by clinicians, administrators, researchers, educators, and others who are eager to improve outcomes from health care delivery.

KEY FEATURES:

• Describes the theoretical foundations of the Centering Healthcare model
• Documents the importance of the Centering model components to achieve improved health care and reduced cost
• Discusses the impact of evidence-based research on providers, administrators, and policy makers
• Demonstrates the validity and applicability of the model to a variety of health care populations, both domestic and international