Volunteer to Make Eden Medical Center the Best it Can Be

Eden Medical Center believes that clinicians perform best when they listen to and act on what patients and their family members have to say about their care, its delivery and its design.

In 2014 Eden Medical Center launched a Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) to infuse patient- and family-centered feedback into healthcare. The council is comprised of current or former patients and family members who meet with health care providers once a month.

At these meetings the team reviews ideas that seek to improve the patient experience, elevate quality of care at the medical center and encourage better relationships between patient, family members and providers.

"I can’t overstate the value of having a patient’s perspective on the work that we do every day” said Bryan Daylor, COO, Eden Medical Center. “The council has helped us work on improvement projects and patient education material, and has even weighed in on how to design exam rooms and explore bioethics questions – the scope is really unlimited.” The common thread among PFAC projects has been the team’s commitment to developing solutions.

Join Us to Help Strengthen Patient-Centered Care

We are currently looking for individuals to join the PFAC. The main criteria we are looking for are:

• Have experience as a healthcare consumer (this includes being a caregiver)
• Are interested in playing an integral part in the process of continuous improvement
• Are open minded and able to work in a collaborative environment
• Have time to attend regular meetings
• Possess clear, tactful communication skills

The process for becoming an advisor includes an initial phone screen and then an interview. The minimum time commitment for Patient & Family Advisors is four hours a month for the PFAC meeting. Additional time commitment is based on advisors’ availability and interest in the topic at hand. This is a volunteer position and is not compensated.

Share Your Stories, Experiences, and Perspectives

Patient and Family Advisors share their stories, experiences, and perspectives to ensure continuous improvement in the care provided at Eden Medical Center. More broadly these local discussions and decisions are also shaping the Office of Patient Experience – Sutter Health’s system-wide council of experts who seek to create an environment of patient and family-centered care across all Sutter facilities.

If you or someone you know is interested in participating as a member of this council or would like to know more about the PFAC, please contact Meri Johnson-Wicks by phone (510) 727-3124 or email johnswm@sutterhealth.org