Background Health service organizations have increasingly adopted mission, vision, and value (MVV) statements, vital for communicating strategic plans and demonstrating organizational goals and values for patient and family engagement (PE). These statements, particularly those promoting patient and family engagement (PE), can significantly influence healthcare practices. Yet, understanding how MVV statements foster PE practices remains unclear.

Objectives Explore the link between hospital PE goals and practices.

Methods We conducted a scoping review exploring how hospital PE goals encapsulated in MVV statements support PE processes. We further supplemented our review with a qualitative case study of a Canadian hospital system.

Results Our findings converge on five strategies for operationalizing hospital PE goals: clear communication of organizational goals; aligning organizational documents and administrative processes with these goals; providing resources and support to staff; and cultivating a culture of motivation and empowerment for staff integration of PE in their work. Conversely, misalignment between hospital goals and practices negatively impacts team dynamics and individual attitudes, underscoring the need for strategic alignment. We identified external regulatory and financial pressures as significant barriers to PE practices. Hospitals serving diverse communities faced additional challenges in developing and communicating PE goals. Emphasizing PE goals in organizational documents and leadership practices spurred PE processes among hospital staff, highlighting the role of strategic alignment in PE implementation.

Conclusions Our research offers valuable insights for healthcare organizations in identifying activities and strategies that align goals with practices, ultimately promoting a patient and family-centric healthcare environment. This understanding is crucial for health service organizations aiming to enhance PE and improve health outcomes by leveraging their MVV statements effectively.