The PFAC Leadership Presentation provides slides and talking points for the PFAC team to use when communicating with hospital leaders about the importance of PFAC work. Talking points are provided in the “Notes” section of the slides.

Support from hospital leadership is essential for creating and sustaining a productive environment for the PFAC. Leaders help translate plans into action by:

• aligning the PFAC program with the hospital’s vision, values, and strategic goals;
• providing resources to support the PFAC;
• setting expectations for accountability to show progress;
• reinforcing the importance of partnering with patients and families from a range of communities; and
• sharing outcomes and progress with the hospital community.

Hospital leaders to engage include existing executive sponsors for the PFAC along with other leaders as appropriate:

• Chief Executive Officer
• Chief Operating Officer
• Chief Medical Officer
• Chief Nursing Officer
• VP of Quality and Safety
• VP of Care Management
• Chief Health Equity Officer
• Chief Indigenous Health Officer
• Chief of Community Engagement
• Chief Advocacy and Public Policy Officer

When talking with hospital leaders, be clear about what the PFAC program is, why it is important, specific goals for advancing progress, and the support needed. Connect PFAC work with hospital goals and priorities. For example, it may be helpful to talk about how partnering with PFAs can help:

• address health inequities by providing a mechanism for hearing and learning from those most likely to experience health inequities;
• strengthen efforts to provide high-quality, safe, equitable healthcare by getting timely input from a range of patients and families, grounding improvements in their needs and perspectives;
• address health-related social needs by helping us learn more about patients’ lives, including socioeconomic factors and unmet needs that can affect health outcomes; and
• develop and strengthen relationships with the community, improving connections and engaging community members as partners in transformational change.