What is a Patient Family Advisor (PFA)?

A Patient Family Advisor (PFA) is a volunteer that has chosen to make a difference in the experience of care of others by donating their time, sharing their expertise and previous experiences of care to help us understand what we are doing well and where there is opportunity for improvement.

PFAs work at all levels within Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC). Since beginning our Patient & Family Centred Care (PFCC) journey over a decade ago, PFAs have participated on thousands of councils, committees and working groups including the Senior Leadership Council, Patient Safety Quality of Care Committee of the Board and the Medical Advisory Committee, to name a few. They also participate on hiring panels for leadership positions and work on the development and/or review of TBRHSC policies and patient education.

For the 70 PFAs that volunteer at TBRHSC, the work did not stop for them during the COVID-19 pandemic; we just shifted to a virtual platform until we can get together in person once again.

PFAs are an amazing group of committed, reliable and passionate volunteers who are willing to share their insights about care experiences. PFAs help us in ways that we, as an organization, can learn from and implement changes in how we provide care to make it better.

PFAs are the heart of PFCC, and together we work to make the experience better for others.

Whether you are in high school, college or university, are retired or work in or out of the home, whatever your interest, we have a place for you. Consider joining our PFA team.

For more information, please contact PFCC@tbh.net or call (807) 684-7322.