Patient Family Advisory Council Charter

Purpose of the Patient and Family Advisory Council:

Vision: The Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) offers input and recommendations on the development and improvement of programs, policies, and procedures. Information from this group will provide Marshall with a better understanding of how patients and family members experience safety, service and quality of care across the Marshall continuum. Marshall is committed to advancing patient and family centered care to resolve challenges such as communication, customer service, patient and family resources, treatment plans and expectations.

Goal: Through the voice of the patient and their families, the goal is to prioritize and promote a positive patient experience while improving safety and providing high quality patient care and positive patient outcomes. The PFAC vision aligns with MMC’s mission to improve the health of our community and offer services of superior value and quality, centered on the goals and needs of our patients. MMC strives to deliver service that exceeds our patients’ expectations.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Members will serve as the voice of the patient/family
• Share experiences and issues/concerns with different functions in the health care system
• Assist Marshall employees and providers to better understand the needs and expectations of the patient/family
• Recommend improvements to MMC’s workflows, policies and procedures
• Review communication and educational materials from the patient perspective
• Review patient satisfaction results and make recommendations based on concerns identified
• Identify cultural barriers and help identify strategies to overcome them
• Provide input and recommendations on new services
• Assist with and consider matters referred by the Patient Safety Committee, Risk Management, or Quality Department

Recruitment:

• The PFAC will consist of a minimum of 3 volunteer patients and/or family members
• Interested patients and/or family members will complete an application and interview prior to being considered for council membership
• If selected, members are required to complete the HIPAA compliance training module, sign the confidentiality agreement, and complete the volunteer orientation
• Background checks will be performed on any potential committee member
• Potential council members who express interest by completing an application will be interviewed by 2-3 members
• During the interview, the applicant will be provided an overview of the council, and if selected, a brief orientation regarding meeting expectations
• All members are expected to follow MMC’s Standards of Behavior
• Members selected will represent the diversity of the community served

Membership and Expectations:

• Members are expected to serve at least a one year term from their date of acceptance with the option to renew
• If members do not meet this expectation and have not notified the Chair, they will be removed from the Council
• Members are expected to attend at least 75% of meetings in a calendar year
• If members do not meet the required attendance and have not notified the chair, they will be removed from the council
• Members to provide input to reflect the overall needs of the community and not based on individual needs or agendas
• Members will work effectively with other council members, staff, healthcare providers, patients and families to ensure a positive patient and family centered care experience
• Membership may be re-evaluated at any point during the term of service if any of these expectations are not effectively met
• The Council will meet at least monthly

• The Council will decide the meeting dates and times at each meeting to ensure the majority of members can attend and the goals of the Council are being met
• Ad hoc members may include frontline staff, leadership or providers as appropriate to selected topic

Governance:

• The PFAC committee will report directly to the Performance Improvement Committee
• Chair:
  • will build the agendas
  • work to establish the goals of the Council and ensure they align with MMC’s vision and strategies
  • lead and facilitate the PFAC meetings
  • report to MMC leadership and PIC as directed
  • will be employed by Marshall
• Vice Chair:
  • will assume the same responsibilities as the Chair in the Chair’s absence
  • may be a patient/family member or employee of Marshall
• Administrative Assistant:
  • assists the Chair/Vice Chair with administrative needs
  • is responsible for taking the minutes to the meetings
  • assists with the agenda and preparation of the meetings
  • tracks attendance

Meeting Agenda:

• The meeting agenda will be sent out no later than 24 hours prior to the meeting
• Written minutes will be taken at each meeting and sent out with the agenda for the upcoming meeting

Performance Evaluation/ Reporting:

• The PFAC will report to the Performance Improvement Committee and will include project accomplishments, improvements, strategies, actions, and outcomes