Patient Family Advisory Council exist in 51.36% of hospitals, according to the most recent data from the American Hospital Association. Similar initiatives exist within nursing homes, rehab facilities and provider groups, underscoring the essential role of the voice of the patient in designing and delivery high quality healthcare.

PFACs have been shown to help providers deliver safe, culturally responsive, and equitable healthcare. More recently, a new term has emerged. Patient, Family, and Care-partner Advisors – PFCAs – are individuals who provide insights based on their lived experiences to help healthcare organizations improve the quality of care.

In this episode of Quality Watch, we hear from Laura Avelino, a senior quality improvement specialist at IPRO, and Rosie Bartel, who has been a patient advocate since her daughter was born two months premature in 1978.