Relationship-Based Care:The Institute of Medicine’s Core Competencies in Action

The landmark publication by the Institute of Medicine (IOM, 2001), Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century, provided the impetus for the Health Professions Education: A Bridge to Quality report, which identified five core competencies that guide health educators in addressing quality issues in today’s health care environment (Knebel & Greiner, 2003). Although geared toward health education programs, these core competencies are applicable to organizations that aim to transform work places into ones that provide exemplary care. Relationship-Based Care (RBC) operationalizes the core competencies established by the IOM by providing a framework for care delivery. The purpose of this article is to describe RBC and its applicability in implementing the IOM’s core competencies in hospitals to promote optimal patient outcomes.