St. Francis Medical Center - Patient & Family Advisory Council for Quality & Safety

Patient and Family Advisory Council

The Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) at St. Francis Medical Center is composed of patients who have received care at the medical center within the past six months, or family members of such individuals. This council plays a critical role in helping us shape our care and services to better align with the needs of our patients and their families. Council members provide direct, real-time feedback based on recent experiences, helping us pinpoint areas that require improvement and identify opportunities to enhance patient care and services. 

Our goal is to gather timely feedback from patients and family members who have had recent interactions with our facility, ensuring we are always listening to up-to-date perspectives. We focus on gathering insights primarily on areas for improvement, as this helps us take concrete actions and create solutions. Positive feedback is still recognized but is forwarded to the respective departments for acknowledgment.

Structure for PFAC Feedback:

• We now select a rotating group of 3-4 patients every quarter from recent surveys, based on their feedback and medical charts, to ensure all perspectives are medically relevant.
• These selected individuals are invited to meet with our administrative team to provide their feedback, focusing on areas where we can improve our services.
• Feedback is rotated every quarter, ensuring fresh input is consistently integrated into the decision-making process.
• Team members of St. Francis Medical Center attend PFAC meetings depending on if the patient was seen or inpatient on their unit during their admission. PFAC Council Coordinator

St. Francis Medical Center’s Patient Advocacy Specialist also serves as the Liaison to the Patient and Family Advisory Council. Responsibilities include:

• Oversee and work with advisors
• Supports the council and its members
• Helps ensure council activities are meaningfully integrated into changes and improvements within the hospital
• Serves as the contact for other team members seeking to be included on the council’s agenda
• Attends council meetings, facilitates interactions, and reports feedback to medical center’s management

Time commitment for the PFAC:

The Patient and Family Advisory Council for Quality and Safety meets once a quarter. Meetings typically are 90 minutes to two hours in length.

To be eligible to participate with the Patient and Family Advisory Council one must:

• Have been a patient or a family member of a patient at St. Francis Medical Center within the past six months
• Exhibit the ability to share real-time, actionable insights.
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and a commitment to improving the patient experience.