PFAC Makes an Impact
By: Boone County Health Center
In April of 2017, Boone County Health Center (BCHC) began a revolutionary new group called the Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) that models partnership between Boone County Health Center staff, patients and family caregivers.
Local citizens applied to be part of this group and were chosen from many age groups and towns to represent the patients and families at Boone County Health Center.
“This group was created to help Boone County Health Center plan and evaluate quality improvement projects and set up patient and family-centered care priorities to enhance processes, procedures and care delivery,” said BCHC President and CEO Tanya Sharp.
In the two years since its start, PFAC has met quarterly to share positive thoughts and helpful criticisms about the care given at Boone County Health Center. The experiences of PFAC members have been powerful in helping Boone County Health Center have a better sense of the patient experience to build a culture where each decision is made in the best interest of patients and families.
PFAC has influenced:
- Wait times. Now there is a sign hanging in the Albion clinic asking patients to let staff know if wait times are longer than 15 minutes. This empowers patients so they know what to do if their wait is getting too long.
- Website. PFAC members help watch the BCHC website to make sure all facts and news are up-to-date.
- Billing system. PFAC members offer valuable feedback as Boone County Health Center works toward improving the billing system for patients.
- Satellite clinics. PFAC members come from many towns, so they have very useful perspectives on the care, hours, and doctor staffing at the satellite clinics. This has led to better communication with the public through box ads and the BCHC website about when doctors will be onsite at the clinics.
- Phone system. PFAC members gave useful feedback on how much the public appreciates the phones being answered by a real person now.
- Care. PFAC has a pulse on the wonderful stories circulating around towns and other health offices related to the life-saving, healing care Boone County Health Center doctors, nurses and staff offer patients.
“Boone County Health Center’s mission is to be dedicated to continuous quality improvement with a patient-focus while offering caring, high-quality healthcare that is cost effective and results in improved health outcomes right here in rural Nebraska,” said Sharp. “By sharing their perspectives, PFAC members have helped to bring about changes and improvements in the care patients and families receive at Boone County Health Center.”
Members of PFAC are: Sandy Miller (Wheeler County), Julie Krause (Antelope County), Chelsey Roan (Nance County), Judy Pribnow (Boone County), Tracy Zentner (Boone County), Dennis Morgan (Antelope County), Kay Osborn (Boone County), Janice Kleveland (Madison County), Connie Sugden (Boone County), Kaye Koehler (Western Madison), Mark Palmer (Boone County), Ron Delaney (Nance County).