If you’ve been patient in a hospital, you know it can be stressful. You’re in a strange place and in a strange bed. A flurry of beeps, dings, and rings call in the background — the sorts of sounds you are not used to. Clinical staff are coming in and out of your room at all hours of the day to care for you.
While you might have a family member with you for some time during visiting hours, when that person isn’t there, you might feel alone, scared or uncertain, and might have questions.
This type of scenario is the reason our Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) exists — to enhance communication (with a patient’s perspective in mind) and improve the overall patient experience, helping patients feel empowered and not alone.
From a Patient’s Perspective
Our PFAC is focused on patient- and family-centered care as well as patient advocacy. This group consists of volunteer community members and Doylestown Health clinical (including a Patient Advocate/Ombudsperson) and nonclinical associates. Its goal is to provide support to those navigating healthcare for themselves or on behalf of someone else.
“Because of the perspective of our committee’s community members, we’re able to better identify gaps in communication 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.
While patient advocacy had been firmly in place at our hospital, PFAC members’ work has taken it to a higher level in recent years.
“We had some processes in place, but advocacy was really the community members’ initiative. They felt it was important to focus more on patient advocacy to strengthen the collaboration between hospital staff and patients and families,” says Karen Ross, MSN, RN, Patient and Family Education Coordinator for Doylestown Health. “We have a very robust, knowledgeable group. Many have used the hospital frequently either for themselves or as caregivers. So they really offer unique perspective for us.”
The Way PFAC Works
Every month PFAC meets via Zoom which tends to attract more community members than in-person meetings, notes Karen. Meeting agenda items often include updates on the latest activities geared toward improving the hospital experience for patients and families, as well as updates on patient satisfaction scores, quality initiatives, and hospital improvement projects, to name a few.
During the pandemic, meetings included regular COVID-19 updates like changes in visiting hours, with masking, and other restrictions, as well as positivity rates.
But of course, the group is not just getting updates on health system happenings, PFAC is a collaborative, working group. Each member’s opinion is valued and helps improve patient care and the overall experience.
Often community members provide input on patient education materials — to make them easier to understand from a patient’s point of view. PFAC members’ feedback has also been used on hospital construction projects in making areas more patient-friendly.
And at one recent PFAC meeting, members discussed how our new medical residents (to start July 2023) with the Family Medicine Residency program might affect patient care. “Community members recommended that when the physicians do their introductions with the patients, to make sure the resident and attending are clearly identified and the patient shows understanding of each of their roles — that the resident is working under the attending,” Karen adds. “That was very valuable feedback.”
New Initiatives
Additionally, one of PFAC’s greatest achievements was consulting on our new patient-centered web page within the Doylestown Health site that provides resources and information about navigating healthcare as well as advocating for yourself and others in the hospital.
“Our next phase is working on how to enhance respectful communication between patients and staff members, as well as ways a supportive family member can be an integral part of the healthcare team to improve the care,” explains Karen.
If you’d like to make a difference for patients at Doylestown Health, PFAC is looking to add new members. Meetings are held the first Wednesday of the month at 2:00 pm. If you are interested, please contact Matthew Costello at mcostello@dh.org or 215.345.2389.
About Doylestown Health
Doylestown Health is a comprehensive healthcare system of inpatient, outpatient, and wellness education services connected to meet the health needs of the local and regional community. The flagship of Doylestown Health is Doylestown Hospital, a not-for-profit, community teaching hospital with 247 beds and a medical staff of more than 435 physicians who provide the highest quality care in over 50 specialties. Renowned locally, regionally, and nationally, Doylestown Hospital provides superior healthcare and offers advanced surgical procedures, innovative medical treatments, and comprehensive specialty services. Now in its 100th year of service in central Bucks County, Doylestown Hospital is proud to educate and train the next generation of physicians through its family medicine residency program. Ranked as one of the World’s Best Hospitals by Newsweek and 8th in Pennsylvania, Doylestown Hospital is distinguished in both infection prevention and patient experience. Doylestown Hospital is the only hospital in Pennsylvania to achieve 15 consecutive ‘A’ grades for patient safety from Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade.
