The Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) is a key element of UM Charles Regional's patient- and family-centered care model, which strives for continuous improvement and innovation while reimagining how we provide care and services to our community.

The PFAC includes community-minded patients and their family members, community members and representatives from our hospital who work side by side with our leadership. Together, the goal is to design an exceptional patient and family experience by sharing their own experiences, observations and insights.

PFAC Mission and Goals

  • Promote patient and family-centered care.
  • Hold UM Charles Regional accountable for the delivery of an exceptional experience.
  • Serves as ambassadors and a link between the community and UM Charles Regional.
  • Engage in facility planning and patient-centered design.
  • Promote, grow and diversify the council.

The PFAC Impact

Patient Family Advisors (PFAs) partner with UM Charles Regional teams to improve patient safety, quality, empathy, and efficiency. The following are examples of some of the many areas within which PFAs have impacted our processes, policies and procedures.

Patient Safety

Committee membership in the Falls Committee to enhance patient and falls education to reduce patient risk.

Revised patient medication sheet, which every inpatient receives when receiving new medicine and side effect education.

Quality

Revised patient information folder content, which every inpatient is given to take home as an organizational tool for their ongoing health care.

Membership in workgroups to reduce conditions acquired while in the hospital, such as pneumonia, and education about preventing, identifying and treating strokes.

Empathy

Participation in Always Privileged to Care Customer Service training for New Hire Orientation.

UM Charles Regional annual Patient Experience Week activities to include a PFA speaker's panel, as well as a lunch-and-learn session for team members.

Efficiency

Committee participation to enhance quietness signage.

Partnership with UM Charles Regional Population Health and Community Outreach to include development, education and community awareness.

How can I join?

If you have ideas to help improve care for patients and their families and you or a loved one has received care at UM Charles Regional, please submit an application for consideration to join our Patient and Family Advisory Council. All applicants must be 18 years of age or older. Your voice matters to us and will help us improve the patient experience for our patients and families.