Patient-centered care is an approach that treats patients with dignity and respect by involving them in healthcare decisions. It focuses on respecting patient values and preferences, providing physical comfort, giving information and education, offering emotional support, coordinating care, ensuring continuity as patients transition between providers or after discharge, involving family and friends, and ensuring access to care. The key principles of patient-centered care are respect, physical comfort, information and education, emotional support, coordination, continuity and transition, family/friend involvement, and access.