Patient & Family Advisory Council Startup Kit

Welcome

This startup kit helps teams create a Patient & Family Advisory Council (PFAC) that does more than meet: it contributes, shapes decisions, and helps your organization improve patient experience and safety. Use these templates and the rapid stand-up plan to get a PFAC running quickly with clear goals, respectful engagement, and measurable impact.

Why a PFAC matters

A well-designed PFAC brings lived experience into service design. It reveals blind spots, improves communication, and helps teams co-design safer, more compassionate care. This kit emphasizes practical structure and safeguards to avoid tokenism and ensure the PFAC’s work links to quality and experience priorities.

What this kit includes

• Sample PFAC charter and terms of reference
• Suggested agendas for the first six meetings with objectives and outcomes
• Recruitment script and suggested diversity-oriented selection prompts
• Member onboarding checklist and orientation plan
• Guidelines for compensation, accessibility, confidentiality, and conflict-of-interest
• Facilitation tips to cultivate meaningful participation and avoid tokenism
• Suggested KPIs and reporting templates to show PFAC impact
• Rapid stand-up timeline and roles/responsibilities checklist

Quick-start PFAC checklist (first 90 days)

1. Weeks 0–2: Secure leadership sponsor, identify staff liaison, draft charter.
2. Weeks 2–4: Recruit a diverse initial cohort (6–12 members), using the recruitment script and outreach channels.
3. Week 4: Hold orientation session using the onboarding checklist and distribute charter.
4. Weeks 5–12: Hold monthly meetings guided by suggested agendas; assign actions and owners after each meeting.
5. End of month 3: Review initial impact measures, member satisfaction, and refine meeting cadence and scope.

Sample charter outline (use and adapt)

• Purpose: Why the PFAC exists and the specific priorities it will address (e.g., discharge process, visitor experience, communication about medications).
• Scope: Types of projects the PFAC will advise on and decisions it can influence.
• Membership: Number of patient/family members, staff members, selection criteria, expected term length, and diversity commitments.
• Roles: Sponsor, staff liaison, chair/co-chair, member responsibilities, meeting facilitation expectations.
• Meeting frequency: Proposed cadence, duration, and format (virtual/hybrid/in-person) with accessibility supports.
• Decision & feedback pathways: How PFAC recommendations are documented, communicated, and actioned, including escalation to leadership.
• Confidentiality & compensation: Summary of confidentiality expectations and how members will be compensated or reimbursed.
• Evaluation: KPIs, reporting schedule, and review process.

Suggested agendas for the first six meetings

Design each agenda with a clear outcome and an action owner. Keep meetings focused, time-boxed, and accessible.

1. Meeting 1: Orientation & charter review
   • Welcome and introductions (members & staff)
   • Review purpose, scope, roles, and expectations
   • Discuss confidentiality and compensation
   • Co-create initial meeting norms and communication preferences
   • Action: Assign onboarding tasks and a first small project
2. Meeting 2: Listening and priority-setting
   • Share quick organizational context and current improvement priorities
   • Facilitated listening exercise: members identify top patient experience gaps
   • Vote or rank initial priorities for PFAC focus
   • Action: Select first project and owner
3. Meeting 3: Project kickoff (co-design approach)
   • Define project goals, timeline, and desired outcomes
   • Map stakeholders and decision points
   • Assign tasks and create simple success metrics
4. Meeting 4: Review early findings & prototype ideas
   • Share observations, data, or staff insights relevant to the project
   • Co-create prototype solutions or communication drafts
   • Plan small tests or next-step pilots
5. Meeting 5: Pilot review & prepare recommendations
   • Review pilot feedback and data
   • Agree on recommended changes and how recommendations will be presented to decision-makers
6. Meeting 6: Reporting back & planning next cycle
   • Finalize report or presentation for leadership
   • Reflect on PFAC process, membership experience, and improvements to the PFAC itself
   • Set priorities for the coming quarter

Recruitment script & prompts (sample)

Use multiple outreach channels (clinics, discharge packets, social media, community partners). Aim for representation across age, race/ethnicity, language, payer status, care setting, and lived experience.

Hello — we’re forming a Patient & Family Advisory Council to help us improve care for patients and families. We’d like to invite you to join a small group that advises on improvements like communication at discharge, appointment experience, and patient education. The time commitment is approximately 2 hours per month, and we provide training and reimbursement for expenses. Would you be interested in a short conversation to learn more?

Selection prompts (use during screening): Ask about recent care experiences, availability, communication needs, and what they hope to improve. Prioritize diverse perspectives and those who feel comfortable sharing candid feedback.

Onboarding checklist (sample)

• Welcome packet: charter, contact list, meeting norms, accessibility options
• Introductory orientation session and tour (if in-person)
• Confidentiality agreement and basic conflict-of-interest questions
• Technology check for virtual participants and interpreter/assistive needs
• Assign a staff buddy for the first 3 months

Compensation & confidentiality guidance (brief)

Compensate members fairly for time and expertise. Options include hourly stipends, gift cards, transportation reimbursement, parking, childcare support, or meal vouchers. Ensure reimbursement is simple and timely. Provide a brief confidentiality statement explaining when patient-level data will not be discussed publicly and how sensitive information will be handled.

Avoiding tokenism — practical safeguards

• Link PFAC recommendations to clear action pathways and named owners.
• Provide members with data or context they need to give informed input.
• Pay members for their time and treat participation as valued work.
• Create transparent follow-up: publish meeting notes, actions taken, and responses from leadership.
• Offer training for members and staff in co-design, facilitation, and respectful feedback.

Measuring PFAC impact (sample KPIs)

• Number of PFAC recommendations reviewed by leadership and percentage accepted or acted on
• Time from recommendation to action or decision
• Member satisfaction and retention rates
• Number of service changes influenced by PFAC input (qualitative case summaries)
• Patient experience scores tied to projects the PFAC advised on

Facilitation tips

• Begin each meeting by restating purpose and the desired outcome for the session.
• Use small breakout conversations to amplify quieter voices and then reconvene to share insights.
• Assign timekeepers and a note-taker; capture clear action items with owners and due dates.
• Rotate meeting roles where feasible to build ownership (co-chair, note-taker, timekeeper).

Rapid stand-up one-page plan

1. Identify sponsor and staff liaison.
2. Publish a one-page charter and meeting schedule.
3. Recruit 6–12 members using the script and partner referrals.
4. Hold orientation and first meeting within 4–6 weeks of initial planning.
5. Track 3 simple metrics from the start: membership diversity, meeting attendance, and actions completed.

Next steps & recommended resources

Use the included templates and adapt them to your local context. Schedule a leadership check-in at 90 days to review early outputs and resourcing needs.

Tip: Consider turning the onboarding checklist and member intake form into interactive forms so member responses, confidentiality agreements, and meeting feedback are stored centrally for reporting and improvement.

Contact the PFAC staff liaison or quality improvement lead to adapt these materials for your department or site.