Patient Family Advisors Involved From the Start
by Bonnie Nicholas
This picture shows Gary Cooper, a Patient Family Advisor (left) with TBRHSC staff during an orientation exercise. During the exercise, each staff member introduces themselves and where they work. If there is a relationship between individuals and where they work, the ball of string is passed to them. By the end of the exercise, participants will clearly see that the PFA is holding more string than anyone else because patients and families are linked to every staff and every department. They are at the centre of everything that TBRHSC does.Patient Family Advisors (PFAs) are very involved in the orientation of all new hires at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC). During the first day of orientation, new staff members learn about Patient Family Centred Care and the role that PFAs play in the many different areas of the organization. PFAs help new staff to understand that what they say and do has a meaningful impact on a patient’s hospital experience.
There are approximately 90 PFAs engaged at TBRHSC at every level. The voice of the PFA has been invaluable. It is what shapes care and services at TBRHSC and integrates the voice of the patient in all decision making. It reinforces the notion of “Nothing about me, without me”.
PFAs have contributed to many organizational changes and improvements, participating on committees and councils, hiring panels, department redesign and the development of education materials to name a few. PFAs help ensure that TBRHSC is focusing on what matters to patients and families.
