Conference Preview: Using a Patient Advisory Council to Improve the Customer Experience

Session Title: Using a Patient Advisory Council to Improve the Customer Experience

Presenter: Jennifer Dyrseth

Learning Lab: Series 1

Date/Time: May 4, 10:45 a.m.

About the Learning Lab

Olympic Medical Center may be a smaller hospital compared to others, but we’re mighty. And with that might comes a responsibility to our patients to provide exceptional care and to listen to their feedback. Having avenues in which feedback can be given without retaliation and with the understanding that it will be heard is an important part of getting honest feedback. Our patients have spoken, and if you aren’t already using a Patient & Family Advisory Council (PFAC) to do just that, you should be.

Through cross-departmental collaboration, community involvement and leadership support, a PFAC can help to make improvements throughout your hospital or clinic. But the council members aren’t restricted to just one council. Throughout time, I’ve seen council members move to other committees, like Ethics and Safety. I’ve also seen council members who signed up for one-year terms stay on for years to come. It isn’t just a way to engage staff, it’s also a way to engage patients.

The coordination of a PFAC, from the conception of the idea to its fruition will be outlined in this presentation, with advice on how you can start yours. Patients these days don’t just want a provider who cares, they want an entire care team, and this presentation can help get you on your way. It’s also an excellent opportunity to implement something that’s not only good for the patient, but also good for the organization in terms of marketing, reimbursement and patient satisfaction.

Patient Access is built on the foundation of a patient relationship, and in order to maintain a relationship, it has to be a two-way street. Our patients are truly our customers; the more satisfied and engaged they are, the more satisfied and engaged staff become. Patient and Family Advisory Councils allow us to improve, grow and change, and as everybody in healthcare knows today, we are constantly changing.