Family Advisory Council Activities and Projects
Since it was established during December 2001, the Family Advisory Council at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center has documented several significant accomplishments in the pursuit and practice of family-centered care.
Hospitals Moving Forward With Family-Centered Care Conference, 2002
Family Advisory Council members attended and presented personal perspectives at the Hospitals Moving Forward With Family-Centered Care national conference hosted by Cincinnati Children's.
Web Site Testing, 2002
Family Advisory Council members assisted with testing the Cincinnati Children's web site to ensure family-friendly navigation and terminology.
Hispanic Advisory Committee, Established 2003
The Hispanic Advisory Committee was formed to identify, prioritize and solve problems that may result in barriers to programs and services of Cincinnati Children's for Spanish-speaking patients and families.
Clinical Content Committee, 2003
Family Advisory Council members began reviewing pediatric health information on the medical center's web site and offering suggestions pertaining to usability for the public.
Family Advisory Council Web Content
The Family Advisory Council developed web content to communicate about its members and activities during 2003.
Family Faculty Program, Established in 2004
Parent volunteers shared personal experiences to foster communication, mutual respect and collaboration between parents and health care providers through the Family Faculty Program. In both formal and informal settings, parents teach residents about living with a child with medical needs.
Video Task Force, 2004
Child Life and the Family Advisory Council established video-viewing guidelines for patients and families.
Patient Services New Employee Orientation Video "Voices of Experience", 2004
This video shows parents on the Family Advisory Council sharing personal insights about their experiences and how family-centered care approaches make a positive impact on their children and families.
Family-Friendly Billing Systems, Established 2004
The Family Advisory Council formed a Billing Task Force, consisting of parents and Cincinnati Children's staff, to collaborate on implementing a new, family-friendly billing system and making billing statements easier to understand.
The task force worked with the Billing Department staff on the design of paper billing statements, as well as new online billing management systems, beginning with the hospital billing system, launched during June 2004.
The Family Advisory Council Billing Task Force also created a list of tips for families on how to handle and organize medical bills and information, as well as a downloadable "billing contact record".
Family Advisory Council Award of Excellence in Family-Centered Care, Established in 2005
The Family Advisory Council Award of Excellence in Family-Centered Care Award recognizes health care professionals and family members who have been exceptional in promoting family-centered care within the Cincinnati Children's community.
Surgical Waiting Room Renovation, December 2001, through April 2005
Family Advisory Council members and Perioperative Services created a warm, welcoming atmosphere with clear signage and fresh new color schemes for families and patients to relax and play in the Same Day Surgical Waiting Room during their surgical experiences at Cincinnati Children's.
Visitation Policy, 2005
The Family Advisory Council assisted with the new policy called "Visitor Guidelines / Family Presence and Participation". Family-friendly suggestions were implemented for handling sibling visits, parents staying overnight and safety issues for visitation.
Family Clinical Information Needs Focus Group, 2005
Senior leadership asked the Family Advisory Council to assess the hospital's strengths and weaknesses on information needs of families in order to strategically plan for short-term and long-term IT goals.
Construction of New Bathroom Facilities for Families With Special Needs, 2006
At the request of the Family Advisory Council, four new family restrooms featuring large, comfortable changing tables specially designed for older, heavier patients were constructed in buildings on the main campus of Cincinnati Children's. Families with special needs can now use these restrooms which are large enough to accommodate a stroller or wheelchair. One family restroom is located on D1; one is located on E2; and two are located on C2.
Parking Committee
The Parking Committee is an ongoing committee that is working on improving parking for families of children with special needs.
Marketing Projects
The Family Advisory Council is involved with ongoing marketing projects, including hospital signage, brochures and various other written materials.
Contact the Family Advisory Council
For more information, please contact the Family Advisory Council.
