Patient Centered Care Not Just a Trend among Hospitals

Mammoth Hospital has recently embarked on a journey to embrace patient and family centered care. The patient and family centered care model (PFCC) is based on the belief that health care services can be improved by building more effective partnerships among health care providers, patients, and families.

Patient and family centered care has seen a big push recently with hospitals on a national scale. These facilities have increasingly realized the importance of including the perspective of patients and families; a viewpoint long missing from the health care equation. Studies show that when patients and families are included in decision-making regarding their care, there is often a significant improvement in their clinical outcome,  a reduction in medical errors and cost, and an improvement in both patient and staff satisfaction.

Patient & Family Advisory Council (PFAC)

An important first step toward patient centered care has been the formation of a Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC.) This is a group of former patients, or families of former patients, who have volunteered to participate on a council to offer Mammoth Hospital their perspective of care they received. These advisors have been referred by hospital staff and have been through an application process. Current council members are:

• Edyth Irvine
• Rene Duran Medina
• Brian Jones
• Leslie Markovitz
• Karrie McFadden

PFAC meetings are coordinated by Lori Ciccarelli, Patient Experience Manager, and Adrienne Burns, Quality Improvement Specialist.

The PFAC was asked to identify recommendations from their perspective for improvements to be implemented this year at Mammoth Hospital at their first meeting in January. Suggestions identified fell into three categories:

• Entrances/Admitting Areas
• Lobbies/Waiting Areas
• Emergency Department Waiting Room Experience

Performance Improvement workgroups were formed to address each of these categories.

More Than a Nice Thing to Do

Patient and family centered care is much more than a nice gesture. It is a culture change that will have considerable impact on bottom-line health care issues. This model of care provides a framework and strategy for improving the patient experience, achieving quality and safety goals, lowering costs, and enhancing work satisfaction.

For more information or to be involved in Mammoth Hospital’s Patient Advisory Council, please contact Adrienne Burns at (760) 924-4116.