Ensuring that Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFAC) include the insights and perspectives across the range of communities served by the hospital or health system is essential to quality, safety, the care experience, and to achieving the best outcomes. To do this collaborative work effectively requires intention and thoughtful planning and ongoing evaluation.
IPFCC in collaboration with the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC), conducted a project to identify best practices within children's hospitals for strengthening PFACs and for partnering with patient and family advisors in better addressing the concerns and priorities of all communities served. The team developed an action guide resource that highlights six key areas to help hospitals and health systems move forward with this work (available here).
The project built on a 2021 study that examined the prevalence and functioning of PFACs in U.S. children’s hospitals. A Key Learnings document and a subsequent summarize the study’s findings in the Patient Experience Journal (PXJ) provide guidance to the field for strengthening partnerships with patients and families. Subsequently, articles were published in the Journal of Pediatric Health Care and Pediatrics.
Support for this work was provided by the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health (LPFCH).