Patient-Family Advisory Council
Decades before Beth Israel and New England Deaconess hospitals came together as Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, each was a leader in health care with a long history of personalized patient care and community service. The first Rights of Patients statement in the nation was implemented by Beth Israel Hospital in 1972 and BIDMC has been in the forefront among hospitals nationally in sharing information about the quality of our care with patients and the community at large.
Over the past several years, BIDMC has been involved with efforts to bring patients and families into the decision-making processes related to quality and safe care through the creation of patient and family councils in areas such as our neonatal and adult intensive care units. Among the results from council input are waiting room improvements; elimination of formal visiting hours to allow more adult family access; and greater family involvement in neonatal medical rounds.
With the advent of new regulationsin 2009 by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, BIDMC has embarked on the creation of a hospital-wide Patient-Family Advisory Council. BIDMC’s Work Plan outlines the steps we are taking to further develop our PFAC over the next 12 months.
For more information, please email your questions and contact information to PFAC@bidmc.harvard.edu.
Last Updated 10/23/2009
