Strengthening diversity, equity, and inclusion and addressing health inequities requires that the voices of all patients and families are heard—particularly populations that have been historically marginalized based on their race, ethnicity, age, health and disability status, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, language spoken, geographic location, employment, immigration status, health insurance type, and diagnosis.
IPFCC, in collaboration with the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC), conducted a project to identify best practices within children's hospitals for strengthening the representativeness of PFACs and for partnering with patient and family advisors on DEI initiatives. The team developed a resource, Strengthening the Diversity and Role of Patient and Family Advisory Councils: Opportunities for Action, that highlights six key areas to help hospitals move forward with this work.
The project built on a 2021 study that examined the prevalence and functioning of PFACs in U.S. children’s hospitals. A Key Learnings document and a subsequent article in the Patient Experience Journal summarize the study’s findings and provide guidance to the field for strengthening partnerships with patients and families. Support for both projects was provided by the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health (LPFCH).