Working Together to Expand Safe, High-Quality Empowered Care

Safety is a focus of our work at SMGH, and an important voice in these conversations is that of our Patient and Family Advisory Committee (PFAC). Beyond safety, PFAC plays an important role in improving the patient experience at SMGH ensuring that a wide range of voices of our patients and their families are heard.

The committee consists of seven community members (plus two ad hoc members) and five staff representatives. Serving in an advisory capacity and bringing a lived experience, the work they do includes:

• Informing and making recommendations about implementation and evaluation of our strategic plan
• Reviewing patient and family experience reports
• Identifying and prioritizing opportunities to enhance patient-centred care
• Reviewing and making recommendations on the implementation and sustainment of patient experience improvements
• Participating in SMGH committees and improvement activities, by request, to provide feedback and consultation from a patient experience perspective

“The work that our PFAC does is invaluable to the patient experience,” says Patrice Kean, Patient Experience Coordinator. “The community committee members are so dedicated and generous with their time and without that, we couldn’t provide the improvements or the perspectives that we need to bring better care to our patients.”

Some of the key projects that PFAC has been involved in over the last year include:

• Patient Portal
• Time to Inpatient Bed
• Ministry of Health working group designing provincial standards for diagnosing heart failure
• Substantial contributions to the KW4-OHT (SMGH is represented on the Steering Committee assisting in setting policies)
• Introduction of Indigenous Healing policies such as the new Smudging policy

COVID-19 ultimately had an impact on PFAC as well, not only as they moved to a virtual environment, but also when making recommendations on enhancing the patient experience during such an uncertain time.

Thank you to all of our PFAC members for your commitment to making St. Mary’s the best it can be, and always looking at how we can make improvements and adjustments to provide high-quality, compassionate, and equitable care for our patients and community.

Interested in Joining PFAC?

To apply, please complete the application form and send it to Julie Nicholls at junichol@smgh.ca. The application will be reviewed by the PFAC Co-Chairs, and some applicants will be invited to meet the Co-Chairs and further determine fit and appropriateness. If accepted, the candidate will be informed by the Co-Chairs.