Patient and Family Advisory Council Improves Safety, Quality and the Patient Experience

Working Together to Serve Our Communities Better at Clara Maass Medical Center

At Clara Maass Medical Center, we are committed to listening to the voices of our patients and their family members and acting on their feedback to improve the patient experience. If you have been a patient or a family member of a patient who has been treated here, we invite you to join our Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC).

Our PFAC is composed of a group of current and former patients, families and hospital staff who work together to improve the patient experience and quality of care.

The PFAC Mission

The PFAC is dedicated to strengthening collaboration between patients and family members and the health care team to enhance Clara Maass Medical Center's ability to deliver the highest standard of safe, comprehensive and compassionate care.

What Does a PFAC Do?

The PFAC helps to improve programs, services and policies within the organization and promote a culture of patient- and family-centered care. Our PFAC helps us learn from patients' diverse perspectives and firsthand experiences and integrate their ideas into service delivery and quality improvement efforts. PFAC members work closely with our Patient Experience Team, connecting the patients and families with medical staff, clinicians and administrators as partners to improve care delivery.

Meet Our Advisory Council Members

Accomplishments

PFACs are a proven approach for health care organizations to form a partnership that improves patient and family experiences. Some of the ways our PFAC has made a difference at Clara Maass Medical Center include:

• Helped implement the Pain Control and Comfort Options resource tool to enhance a patient's ability to communicate pain and comfort needs with the care team

• Helped implement a diagnostic imaging education tool for the Emergency Department patients to assist in providing information about various tests the patients may receive and what they should expect to happen

• Assisted in updating the Patient Handbook

• Worked on a medication wallet card program to enable patients to provide pertinent information about medications they take quickly and succinctly

For more about how PFACs have been making quality improvements across the RWJBarnabas Health system, visit our Accomplishments page.

If you have questions or would like to join the PFAC, please call (973) 450-2177.