Patient- and Family-Centered Care
The Adult and Pediatric Patient and Family Advisory Councils serve as the "patient voice" and the institutional infrastructure for including the patient and family member perspective at all levels of organizational decision-making.
The Councils are comprised of patients, family members, executive leadership, and staff, working in partnership to assure the delivery of the highest standard of comprehensive and compassionate care at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center and Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Care and its satellites.
Since their inception in 1998 and 1999, respectively, the Adult Patient and Family Advisory Council (APFAC) and Pediatric Patient and Family Advisory Council (PPFAC) have served as national models of patient- and family-centered care. They do so by:
- Providing information to hospital leaders and staff about patients' needs and concerns;
- Helping plan patient-care areas and new programs;
- Making changes that affect patients and family members;
- Encouraging patients and families to be involved and to speak up;
- Strengthening communication among patients, family members, caregivers, and staff.
Learn more about the Adult Patient and Family Advisory Council
Learn more about the Pediatric Patient and Family Advisory Council
Membership
The Adult and Pediatric Councils are comprised of patients, family members, and key administrative staff members. Each Council meets monthly. They also meet jointly once each year.
Active (voting) patient and family members serve up to three one-year terms, renewable each year. Upon completion of three years, patient and family members transition to emeritus membership and are welcome to continue their involvement; however, they are no longer voting members. Emeritus members often remain as involved as they had been when they were active members.
Five to six key administrative staff members serve as voting members of the Councils. Other staff leaders are invited guests and routinely attend meetings.
Two co-chairs, each of whom serves a two-year term, facilitate monthly meetings. Co-chairs are patients or family members.
Roles of Patient and Family Council Members
Council members assist the organization in many ways, including:
- Providing feedback and approval on projects and initiatives presented by staff at monthly meetings
- Participating as full members on institutional committees and projects, consistently infusing the patient/family perspective into discussions and decision-making
- Participating with staff on executive search and interview committees
- Helping create and edit patient and family education and communication materials, both written and visual
- Helping design and plan patient care areas and new programs
- Generating new program ideas to benefit patients, family members, and caregivers/staff
- Designing Council-specific initiatives to support the Council's infrastructure
- Co-submitting abstracts and co-presenting at conferences
- Speaking to a variety of audiences about patient- and family-centered care
How to Get Involved
If you are a patient, parent, or family member of a patient who has received care at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center or Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center (including our satellite sites) and are interested in joining and/or learning more about the Councils, please call the Patient and Family Advisory Council office at (617) 632-4319 or e-mail pfac@dfci.harvard.edu.
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Establishing Patient- and Family-Centered Care
Is your organization considering a move toward patient- and family-centered care? Explore resources to help you take the first steps toward involving patients and their families in decision-making.
