We believe in a world where the primary value is the person—their feelings, dignity, and right to be heard. That is why we develop family-centered care and strive to transform the healthcare system so that the child and their family are always at its center.
It is believed that dignity and respect are innate human qualities, and these are not taught in medical universities. However, in progressive countries, most questions on medical specialty exams are ethical in nature. Dignity and respect are placed first in the family-centered approach. This is where the first lectures in medical institutions should begin, and it should run as a common thread throughout the entire training of physicians.
Information dissemination, or information competence, is primarily the physician’s commitment to seek, recognize, and identify only truthful information, draw conclusions, and critically evaluate a large flow of information. It is also the physician’s ability to explain several treatment options to the patient and ensure that the patient and their family understand what is being explained to them.
of parents are confident that their active involvement is important for quality care of their child
of parents want to interact better with physicians
of parents believe that the main obstacle is the unwillingness of medical professionals to collaborate
of parents did not have the opportunity to be with their children during medical procedures
*Research by Ronald McDonald House Charities Ukraine on family-centered care, July 2021
in the largest children’s hospitals in Ukraine, so parents and children can be together during difficult and exhausting treatment
A House with 50 private bedrooms on the grounds of Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital for free accommodation of families with seriously ill children
Annual family-centered care conferences for medical professionals, which have already brought together over 10,000 participants from across the country
The project fundamentally improves service and communication processes, making medical services more accessible and understandable for families
We are providing 1,400 foldable beds to 46 children’s hospitals across Ukraine for parents of hospitalized children, totaling over 20 million hryvnias
Psychological and emotional support groups for children and parents operate in Family Rooms, helping them cope with stress and anxiety
Courses for continuing education of medical professionals (15,000 registered certificates annually) in collaboration with NHSU
Series of training sessions developed for medical professionals to improve interaction with patients and their families
A family-centered care course for students at medical educational institutions, studied by 450 future medical professionals annually
Ronald McDonald House Ukraine began its operations in 2016. We are proud to be part of a global organization, having the opportunity to support Ukrainian families during their most difficult times. In 2017, the first Family Room was opened at the Center for Pediatric Medicine in Lviv. Over the years, 6 Family Rooms have been opened in the largest children’s hospitals in Ukraine. With the start of the war, the organization launched humanitarian programs, providing assistance to over 1 million Ukrainians.
To develop the healthcare system, the foundation implements educational programs for physicians on family-centered care: it holds annual national conferences, implements continuing education courses for medical professionals on the NHSU portal (15,000+ certificates annually), has developed a series of video courses for physicians and parents on its YouTube channel, and implements a training course at one of the largest medical institutions in Ukraine (450+ medical students annually).
