Final answer:
The primary goal of patient-centered care is to respect and integrate patients' individual preferences, needs, and values into their healthcare, considering essential social, cultural, and biophysical factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary goal of patient-centered care is to ensure that healthcare systems and providers respect each patient's preferences, needs, and values. This approach emphasizes the importance of considering social, cultural, and biophysical factors that influence a patient's health and the care they require.
It integrates these factors into the planning, diagnosis, and treatment to ensure that the care provided aligns well with the patient's unique circumstances and perspectives. Understanding how social inequalities may affect the spread of disease and health outcomes is crucial for providing equitable healthcare services. By taking into account the wider cultural and environmental context, as well as individual psychosocial needs, healthcare practitioners can offer more comprehensive and effective treatment plans.