Hospital Patient and Family Advisory Council Accelerators and Barriers: A Qualitative Study

Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFACs), comprised of patients who have used the hospital's services and their family members, provide hospitals with input on a wide range of initiatives. This qualitative study aims to uncover the facilitators that accelerate and the barriers that inhibit councils and provide hospitals with a blueprint to help them start and strengthen PFACs. Grounded in partnership theory, this exploratory qualitative study used a thematic analysis framework to examine first-person accounts of launching and sustaining a PFAC. The sampling was derived from three groups of potential participants. Participants from 20 hospitals and systems agreed to discuss their councils. Five key themes emerged from the interviews: The PFAC landscape improved after the pandemic, garnering support across the organization is necessary, recruiting ideal members and diversifying the council is critical, effective PFAC operation takes planning, and process and outcome measures can identify the impact and the value of PFACs. Evidence supports patient engagement through PFAC partnerships. However, to ensure a thriving PFAC, the councils require intentional design, diverse participation representing hospital demographics, broad organizational commitment, and systematic evaluation to ensure sustainability and meaningful impact on patient experience and care delivery.