Advancing Healthcare Through Person-Centered Care
Cynthia Overton, PhD
Healthcare is at its best when it sees the whole person—not just the patient. Yet, organizations often struggle to turn the ideals of person-centered care into everyday reality. I help healthcare organizations, insurers, and academic programs bridge that gap—grounding person-centered care in real stories and lived experience, then translating it into practical, actionable strategies. My approach combines evidence-based principles with authentic storytelling, empowering organizations to move from aspiration to action. Let’s connect to create healthcare experiences that inspire, empower, and uplift—one story at a time.
Professional Background
I’ve built my career at the intersection of research, education, and real-world experience—transforming complex evidence into practical resources that empower both patients and professionals.
Highlights of my experience include:
- Serving as Co-Director of the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center at the American Institutes for Research, where I led award-winning initiatives to make healthcare research accessible to patients and families, earning multiple Telly Awards for educational media.
- Delivering keynote speeches that draw from my experience as a patient navigating a health crisis and spinal cord surgery to illustrate the life-changing impact—both positive and negative—of person-centered care.
- Advising and evaluating initiatives that advance person-centered care.
- Authoring a forthcoming book that champions person-centered care as an essential companion to clinical mastery, with the goal of advancing positive health outcomes.
I hold a Ph.D. and M.S. in Learning Technologies from the University of Michigan, an M.P.S. in Public Relations & Corporate Communications from Georgetown University, and a B.A. in English from Hampton University.
Patient Experience
At 26, my life changed when a rare spinal cord lesion left me paralyzed. Over seven weeks, I navigated care and recovery in three different hospitals—including intensive inpatient rehabilitation—gaining firsthand insight into both the challenges and opportunities within our healthcare system.
A turning point came when my family and I connected with Dr. Fred Epstein (featured in the photo with me), a pioneering neurosurgeon whose compassion, communication, and willingness to treat me as a whole person embodied the principles of person-centered care—even before I had the language for it. His approach showed me what healthcare can and should be.
To make sense of what helped and what could have been better, I draw on evidence-based frameworks like the Picker Institute’s Eight Principles and the National Advisory Board’s Six Principles to Modernize Healthcare Infrastructure. These guide my work today, helping organizations see how person-centered care transforms lives and how every patient interaction can make a difference.
Clear Cane Chronicles: Shaping the Future of Healthcare Through Person-Centered Care
This book shares a firsthand journey through the healthcare system, revealing how person-centered care can make a profound difference in real lives. Through personal stories and practical frameworks, it highlights the ways patients can advocate for themselves, providers can deepen their understanding of person-centered care, and payers can support approaches that better meet people’s needs. Whether you’re a patient, provider, or payer, you’ll find insights and questions to help you play a more active role in building a healthcare system that truly sees and serves the individual. Coming Summer, 2025
Services
Speaking Engagements
Insightful, story-driven presentations that use humor and lived experience to reveal how healthcare impacts patients—showcasing the benefits of person-centered care and the consequences when it’s missing. Audiences leave informed, inspired, and equipped to make care more human and effective. Learn more here.
Workshop Facilitation
Practical, interactive sessions that help healthcare teams and leaders move beyond theory—translating person-centered care frameworks into everyday practice. Through real patient stories, actionable tools, and guided reflection, I equip organizations to deliver care that truly meets patients’ needs and improves outcomes for all.
Thought Partnership
Practical, focused consultations that help healthcare and payer leaders quickly identify actionable ways to advance person-centered care. I offer expert insights, tailored recommendations, and ready-to-use resources—so you can make meaningful progress without the need for lengthy assessments or major disruptions.
