Bringing to Light the Patient and Family Member Voice

By Kim Buettner
Manager Patient and Family Advisory Program

After completing my cancer treatment, I wanted to give something back to the organization that gave so much to me – compassionate care and my life. I made the decision to join the Patient and Family Advisory Council. For four years, I served on various committees and projects to share my input and perspective as a patient. It was another way I witnessed how collaboration between staff and patients and families receiving care was top priority at Moffitt.

The Council, which is a subgroup of the Patient and Family Advisory Program, was established in August 2005 as part of Moffitt’s Patient- and Family-Centered Care philosophy. The membership comprises patients, family members, hospital administrators, health care providers and staff. It’s a partnership that aims to bring the voices of patients and their families into every part of Moffitt.

During the time I was on the Council, I enjoyed Council meetings as well as sitting on committees and sharing what a new or improved program would mean to me as a patient. I worked full time while I was serving in this role and I always enjoyed coming in for the committee meetings. It provided a break from my regular job responsibilities while also demonstrating how much Moffitt truly valued the patient voice and listened to our perspective and experiences.

Now, I’m on the Council in a different role as the Manager for the Patient and Family Advisory Program. I am fortunate to work with patients and families who are interested in doing what I did – share their viewpoint about what’s important to them.

There are many opportunities to get involved with the Patient and Family Advisory Program. In addition to providing input through the Patient and Family Advisory Council, another popular initiative is the peer visitor program. Through this program, peer visitors visit with other patients and family members and share experiences as well as provide information about the numerous resources available through Moffitt. This occurs in the clinics, inpatient rooms and through Coffee Connection, which occur on select Thursdays.

If you are a patient or family member who is interested in sharing your input about the patient and family experience and/or would like to meet with other patients and family members, please call me at 813-745-1390.

“Patient- and family-centered care is more than a saying at Moffitt; it’s in everything they do. One great thing that differentiates Moffitt from other hospitals is the fact they ask patients how things can improve. When I give feedback, I feel like I’m taken seriously. It’s awesome seeing my feedback turned into actual changes here at Moffitt.”
- Jacqueline Beaushaw, Patient Advisor and Peer Visitor, Patient and Family Advisory Council.

“Many health care systems talk about patient-centered care, but Moffitt’s partnership with its patients is truly remarkable. The PFAC provides an essential part of the soul of this organization and their insights are critical to ensuring that quality and patient experience are foremost in our planning and delivery of care.”
– Robert J. Keenan, MD, MMM, Chief Medical Officer, VP Quality, Senior Member, Thoracic Oncology. 

Content for this story is from PARTNERS summer 2016; a newsletter of the Patient and Family Advisory Program. For more information about the Patient and Family Advisory Program, please email Kim.Buettner@Moffit.org or call 813-745-1390.