As part of an expanding effort to support the work of Patient and Family Advisory Councils in Massachusetts health care settings, the Betsy Lehman Center will host its first virtual forum for council members on May 30, 2024.
The forum’s theme will center on creating connections to strengthen the impact of PFACs and will feature presentations and discussions of leadership engagement and bringing diversity to PFAC membership.
The Center intends the forum to be the first of many opportunities for PFAC members across the state to connect with one another, discuss challenges and share new approaches.
“Patient and Family Advisory Councils are a well-suited but underutilized resource for advancing the safety of the health care delivered in their organizations,” says Barbara Fain, Executive Director of the Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety. “We look forward to providing forums, tools and other resources to catalyze this important work.”
All members of Massachusetts-based health care organization PFACs are invited to attend the inaugural virtual forum on May 30, 2024, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Check back here for registration information next month.
Since 2010, all licensed acute and rehabilitation hospitals in Massachusetts have at least one PFAC to facilitate patient and family participation in hospital care and decision-making, information sharing, and policy and program development. In addition, MassHealth requires accountable care organizations serving its members to work with PFACs.
Health Care for All, a local non-profit organization, led efforts to bring the PFAC model to Massachusetts and provided technical and other assistance to PFACs in their earliest years. In September, the Center assumed responsibility for helping PFACs with their work.
A new resource library of documents, tips and templates is also available on the Center’s website. Send any feedback or additional items for the resource library to PFAC@BetsyLehmanCenterMA.gov.
Annual reports submitted by PFACs in 2023 are here, along with an archive of reports collected by Health Care for All from 2016 to 2022.