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The Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC)

Patient Family Advisory Council

The Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC) is a leadership council that works directly with hospital staff and families to further the initiatives of patient family centered care. Provided below is information to assist you in serving in this role.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. The PFAC consists of parents or patients who are at least 18 years or older, known as advisers, and about 5 staff members who meet monthly to guide Patient Family-Centered Care (PFCC) programming and related adviser roles.

  2. Members are expected to attend a minimum of 75% of scheduled PFAC meetings per calendar year. Attendance can be in person or by joining us via WebEx.

  3. The biggest time commitment will be on council meeting days. You will receive a calendar of dates for the full year.  Some meetings are in person and others are conducted virtually by WebEx. These meetings are usually held on a Thursday from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Thursday meetings are optional, but highly recommended as members make progress report-outs on initiatives where parents are actively engaged. Friday meetings consist of hospital speakers and discussion groups where parents are encouraged to share their ideas, feedback and perspective on many issues impacting patient care and improving the patient experience.

  4. Before your first PFAC meeting, prepare a brief introduction for the other PFAC members telling them your name, what brings you to the PFAC, what you expect from the group, and any relevant experience that you may have. The members will want to get to know you and this short introduction will give them a glimpse into your journey at St. Jude. Also, you may want to look at the Microsoft Teams page for the PFAC. Check the resource section on this page for more information about telling your story and accessing Microsoft Teams.

    On the day of the first meeting, you will be met by a parent adviser or PFCC staff member. They will be with you throughout the day to answer any questions and help you navigate through the hospital. They will also help you get any additional materials or resources that you may need during your first day.

  5. At the PFAC meetings, there will be a lot of different topics covered depending on the needs of the patient families and the hospital at that time. The members will look over upcoming projects and talk about how the different work groups and committees are doing. These meetings are focused on making sure that parents are actively involved in the areas of clinical experience, education and planning. You can always check Microsoft Teams for a detailed meeting agenda!

  6. While parents are the driving force behind the PFAC, St. Jude staff members attend these meetings as partners who walk alongside and assist where needed. They can serve as a link to hospital administration and other departments, by communicating the PFAC ideas and feedback.

  7. St. Jude Email Address - This is the primary way to send and receive emails to members and staff.

    Microsoft 365 Team Site - All meeting minutes, presentations, and support documents are kept under the channel “Meetings” and under the "Files" tab. There are additional channels created around high-priority projects, committees and PFAC sponsored events.  You can use the conversation tab to ask questions and generate discussions. Notifications can be set on your mobile device to alert you when new items post to the page.

    If you are unable to attend the council meetings in person, you can join us virtually via Web Ex. Web Ex is also used for parent advisers who are participating virtually on institutional work groups and committees.

    PFCC staff can always help you connect to others or the resources you need. Email us at PFCC@stjude.org.

    • Check your St. Jude email often! You could even check it everyday! You can also get the email sent to your phone. Check the resource section on this page to learn how.
    • Check out Microsoft Teams. There are lots of helpful documents and info there.
    • While you are checking out TEAMS, go to the meetings tab and review the meeting agenda in advance.
    • Come to the PFAC meeting prepared to take notes, ask questions, and get involved in discussions.
    • While a speaker is presenting, think about questions you have, how their topic relates to a need for patients or families, and what insight they are asking for from you.
    • Review the meeting minutes when they are sent out soon after each PFAC meeting.
    • Complete any surveys PFCC send you.
    • Read the PFCC Alert. It’s full of information about what other advisors are doing. It may also include other volunteer opportunities you might be interested in.
 
 
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