Patient Advisor Role and Responsibilities
Patients and their families are knowledgeable members of the care team and can offer unique perspectives and valuable feedback about their experience at a hospital. Learn more about what it’s like serving on a PFAC (Patient Family Advisory Committee).
The Purpose and Responsibilities of a PFAC:
- Promote respectful, effective partnerships between patients, families, and clinicians.
- Increase understanding and cooperation between patients, families, and staff.
- Transform the culture towards patient- and family-centered care.
- Improve quality, patient safety, and patient health outcomes.
- Establish a link between the hospital and the community at large.
What Might PFAC Members Do at a Meeting?
- Share health care experience with doctors, staff and other PFAC members.
- Participate in group discussions to talk about ideas for how our healthcare organizations can improve care, quality, safety, and services.
- Provide insight from the patient and family perspective about policies, care practices, and patient education materials.
- Identify patient and family needs and concerns.
- Serve on subcommittees and workgroups to help bring the patient and family perspective to these efforts.
- Encourage and support patient-centered care across the institution.
What Is Patient- and Family-Centered Care?
- The philosophy of patient- and family-centered care focuses on:
- Respect for patients' values, preferences, and needs.
- Coordination of care for more efficiency.
- Comfort and emotional support for mental health.
- Information, communication, and education.
- Involvement of family and friends
- Patient advisors are a diverse group of people who enjoy working with others and contributing ideas, while being able to hear and balance different perspectives with compassion and respect.
To be on a patient and family advisory council, you must:
- Adhere to Guthrie Volunteer policies and procedures.
- Show dignity and respect for others.
- Have an interest in and show concern for improving the health care experience for all patients and their families, beyond your personal experience.
- Participate in meetings.
- Attend monthly council meetings and serve on committees.
- Share your ideas.
- Have a positive approach and share ideas and information about experiences in ways that will benefit others, while listening to and respecting different points of view.
- Collaborate.
- Be able to communicate and cooperate with individuals whose backgrounds, experiences and styles may be different than your own.