One of the best ways to influence health care practices is to join your hospital’s Patient Family Advisory Council. These volunteer councils bring together patients, family members, and hospital staff to improve the care experience by involving those who know it best — the patients.

In 2008, Massachusetts passed a law requiring all acute and rehabilitation hospitals in the state to establish a Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC). The legislation remains the only one of its kind in the country. Today, 81 institutions in the state have PFACs and rely on them to weigh in on and drive patient-centered improvements, from meal options to important patient safety initiatives.

Health Care for All (HCFA), the consumer health care advocacy organization which helped to establish the state's PFACs, collects annual reports from Massachusetts’s PFACs each year, as mandated by the state. Visit HCFA’s website to view the most recent annual report and to learn more about where and how PFACs are making an impact.

spacer

Hospital Contact Information

Contact your local hospital for more information about how to get involved with their Patient Family Advisory Council.

See More circle-arrow
spacer

Get Involved with the Betsy Lehman Center

Let us know if you might like to represent the patient perspective in a future initiative.

Contact us circle-arrow