This glossary provides brief definitions for commonly used terms related to patient experience of care. Measurement and reporting of patient experience are different from other types of quality measurement, and therefore introduce terminology that may be unfamiliar to some. According to the Institute of Medicine, ensuring that care is patient-centered is one of six essential aims for achieving high-quality health care.

"The Patient Experience of Care" glossary is part of a suite of resources on patient experience designed by Aligning Forces for Quality to assist community health collaboratives in discussing the growing importance of measuring patient experience and providing the information and tools needed to help stakeholders get up to speed.