Strengthening and advancing PFAC work requires organizations to be accountable for tracking and communicating progress.

Make plans to review and regularly discuss progress toward PFAC goals with the PFAC, executive sponsors, and hospital leadership.

Ways to do this include the following:

• Review PFAC goals and progress with PFAC members. Include time on the PFAC agenda on a regular basis (e.g., every quarter) to review goals, discuss progress, celebrate successes, and work with PFAs to identify solutions to any challenges.
• Develop a PFAC dashboard. Include information about:
  • Number of PFAs and hours contributed
  • Goals related to PFAC representativeness
  • PFA demographic information compared to the patient population
  • Accomplishments related to supporting participation from a broad range of PFAs (e.g., translation of PFAC recruitment materials, identifying funding for PFAC stipends)
  • PFA participation in work related to quality, safety, and health equity, including committees, workgroups, task forces, projects, presentations, and community outreach activities (e.g., attendance at community events or meetings with community-based organizations)
  • PFAC member completion of education or training activities
  • PFAC assessments, including results from PFA surveys or discussions
• Collect information about PFAC progress in a PFAC annual report. Describe accomplishments, collaborations, and examples of work. Include quotes from leaders, staff, and advisors about how the PFAC has contributed to the hospital’s strategic priorities.
• Share goals and progress with the broader hospital community. Work with the hospital's marketing or community relations departments to develop materials that communicate PFAC accomplishments to audiences within and outside of the hospital. Highlight the importance of patient and family voices that represent the full range of communities served by the hospital, share stories of PFAC accomplishments, and demonstrate to communities how patients and families can help create change. Reach out to community organizations and partners that have been part of PFAC work to share progress and communicate the organization's commitment to long-term change through direct action. Make this communication part of the relationship-building process and a touchpoint with the community about how the hospital is working to improve quality, safety, experiences of care, and health outcomes in equitable ways.

Example: PFAC Assessment for Continuous Improvement

Recognizing the need for data and tracking, one children’s hospital developed a structured assessment process for its PFACs that includes annual surveys, a PFAC dashboard, and strategic alignment of PFAC goals with hospital priorities to drive accountability and continued improvement.

Annual PFAC Survey. The PFAC survey is conducted to gather candid input from PFAs and gather information to improve operational processes and PFA experiences. Offered in English and Spanish, the survey asks PFAs about:

• Overall satisfaction in their role
• Understanding of the PFAC’s mission and priorities
• Experience of PFAC dynamics and environment
• Satisfaction with PFAC support and training
• PFAC impact and influence
• Perceptions of leadership support for the PFAC

PFAC Dashboard. The PFAC leadership team analyzes the survey data, presents it in dashboard format, and includes additional information such as the number of activities and volunteer hours recorded by PFAs. The PFAC leadership team reviews the dashboard with hospital leadership and PFAC members. The PFAC team also identifies specific actions that will be taken to address feedback received through the survey.

Strategic Planning and Goal Alignment. PFAC assessments are part of a larger strategic framework to ensure accountability and drive initiatives. The hospital completes strategic planning every three years, with the plan reviewed and revised yearly as needed. The annual PFAC assessment helps review PFA feedback related to goals and measures progress within strategic planning cycles.