Heart Institute Patient and Family Advisory Council
The Heart Institute Patient and Family Advisory Council (HI PFAC) is a diverse group of patients and family members who collaborate with Heart Institute clinicians, staff, and leadership to enhance medical care and quality of life for those living with congenital heart disease. Founded in 2009, the HI PFAC strives to improve patient experience, safety, and health outcomes to make improvements in compassionate care and build meaningful relationships between patients, caregivers, and providers.
HI PFAC Members Change the Outcomes By...
- Advocating & Sharing: Members provide feedback and insights at monthly HI PFAC meetings
- Driving & Leading: Members help identify opportunities and drive new initiatives that impact the care experience of HI patients and families
- Partnering to Improve: Members work with other HI patients, families, and clinicians on improvement projects to directly impact quality of care
Involvement Opportunities
The HI PFAC welcomes parents or caregivers of children and adolescents with congenital heart disease who have been treated at the Heart Institute at Cincinnati Children's. Additionally, adults who are current or former patients are encouraged to participate. If you are interested in joining the HI PFAC please contact HI.PFAC@cchmc.org.
HI PFAC Members are invited to attend monthly meetings that are specifically targeted at encouraging patient and family engagement, sharing feedback and input on current Heart Institute initiatives through patient and family advisory opportunities.
The HI PFAC is open to patients, parents, and caregivers who are:
- Passionate about wanting to help improve processes, safety and quality of care in the Heart Institute at Cincinnati Children's
- Eager to offer feedback and input to support the continued growth and evolution of compassionate care in the Heart Institute
- Collaborative on solutions and have a passion for improving the health care experience for all
- Advocates for change, while keeping the diverse needs of our patients and their families in mind
- Respectful of differing opinions and encourage multiple points of view
- Eager to productively offer feedback and openly share insights and personal experiences in a group setting
Meeting Structure
The HI PFAC meets virtually once a month from 6pm-8pm ET, and hosts four meetings each year with an in-person attendance option. While in-person attendance at quarterly meetings is encouraged, a virtual option will always be available. During meetings, HI PFAC Members will have the opportunity to provide feedback, input, and advice on a range of topics, improvement initiatives, and other projects within the Heart Institute. Guest speakers will join the HI PFAC periodically, providing unique opportunities for HI PFAC members to learn about specific topics of interest to patients and families served by the Heart Institute.
If you are interested in learning more about the HI PFAC or joining us for an upcoming HI PFAC meeting, please contact us at HI.PFAC@cchmc.org.
