Advocating for a Better Patient Care Experience: PFAC

Being a patient in the hospital can be stressful. You are in an unfamiliar environment, which can make it difficult to relax. However, at Doylestown Health, we do our best to make you and your loved ones' stay in the hospital as comfortable and pleasant as possible.

Our Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) was created to improve the patient experience. Our goal is to help empower patients and their families and improve communication.

“Because of the perspective of our committee’s community members, we’re able to better identify communication gaps and improve the patient experience,” says Matthew Costello, FACHE, Senior Executive Director of Hospital Operations, who serves as the lead hospital member and facilitator for PFAC.

From a Patient’s Perspective

Doylestown Health’s PFAC is focused on patient- and family-centered care as well as patient advocacy. The group consists of volunteer community members and Doylestown Health clinical and nonclinical Associates. Their goal is to provide support to those navigating healthcare for themselves or on behalf of a loved one. 

While patient advocacy has always been important at Doylestown Hospital, the work of PFAC members have taken it to a higher level in recent years.

 “We have a very robust, knowledgeable group. Many have used the hospital frequently either for themselves or as caregivers. So, they offer a unique perspective for us,” says Karen Ross, MSN, RN, Patient and Family Education Coordinator for Doylestown Health.”

The Way PFAC Works

The PFAC meets via Zoom each month, which Ross says attracts more community members than in-person meetings. Meeting agenda items often include updates on the latest activities geared toward improving the hospital experience for patients and families and on patient satisfaction scores, quality initiatives, and hospital improvement projects.

PFAC community members also provide valuable input on patient education materials, which help to make them easier to understand from a patient’s perspective. In addition, their feedback has been used during hospital construction projects to ensure areas are made more patient friendly.

“Doylestown Health’s PFAC ensures that the voice of patients and families is heard and respected,” says Cindy Wallace, a PFAC community member who serves as the council’s co-chair with Kathleen Kennerley, also a community member. “It enables patients, families, and staff to work as partners to improve the experience for all,” agrees Kennerley.

New Initiatives

One of PFAC’s recent projects was to review a consent form for patients undergoing surgery and anesthesia. The form is designed to make sure patients having surgery understand the risks associated with the procedure. Steve Day Jr. Esq, Director of Risk, Privacy Officer, Doylestown Health, says the PFAC’s help was valuable.

“If there was ever a document that was ideal for the PFAC, it was this one. The form is meant for patients, but members of the PFAC found parts of the document difficult to understand. That’s the difference between having lawyers and clinicians review a consent form and patients. Thanks to their input, we were able to change some of the language, so it was clearer,” he says.

If you’d like to make a difference for patients at Doylestown Health, PFAC is looking to add new members. Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month at 2:00 pm. If you are interested, please contact Matthew Costello at mcostello@dh.org.