[The role of family members in healthcare: what mental healthcare can learn from other healthcare sectors].

In mental health care, a good relationship between healthcare professionals and family members of the patient is frustrated by the strong emphasis on patient autonomy. A comparison with other healthcare sectors (oncology and nursing home care) shows that this need not be the case. An improved relationship between healthcare professionals and family members is important for all parties involved; healthcare professionals can use the knowledge of family members, family members are better equipped to perform their care tasks, and patients can receive better care since formal and informal care are better aligned to each other.