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.
Input into the 2009 Strategic Plan Refresh, 2009
The Board of Trustees and the senior leadership of Cincinnati Children's undertook a review of the strategic plan written in 2004. They determined which goals had been met, which needed more work, and which needed to be refined or focused. Family advisors were incorporated into several multidisciplinary brainstorming sessions as well as one conducted solely with parents.
4th International Conference on Patient- and Family-Centered Care, 2009
The parent coordinators traveled to Philadelphia for the Institute for Family Centered Care's conference and spoke in two sessions, "The Power of Families on Hospital Boards of Trustees in Propelling Quality and Safety Initiatives Forward" and "Building Strategic Partnerships and Developing Strategic Plans: A Guide for Parent/Patient Leaders of Family/Patient Advisory Councils." They also presented a poster, "Enhancing the Capacity of Your Patient or Family Advisory Council to Respond to Needs for Patient and Family Input."
Design of the 3430 North Burnet Building, 2008-2009
Families of children who would be served by the divisions moving into the North Burnet building worked with the design agency for six months to design entry and waiting room spaces that worked for children with a variety of special needs, from sensory processing disorders such as autism to developmental delays.
Medical Response Team, 2007-2009
The Family Advisory Council collaborated with staff as they developed a rapid response team named the "Medical Response Team" and created a process for families to call it to assess their child. Over a two-year period, they worked to improve the education and materials provided to families about the team's purpose and how to call it.
Design of the Liberty Campus of Cincinnati Children's, 2007-2008
Families participated in regular design sessions with staff and architects of the new Liberty campus to ensure that the space recognized the unique preferences and needs of child patients and their families
Half-Day Exploratorium at NICHQ, 2007
One parent coordinator collaborated with other family leaders across the U.S. to prepare and present a half-day exploratorium on family-centered care at the annual forum hosted by the National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality.
Parking Committee
The Parking Committee is an ongoing committee that has worked on numerous projects, including wayfinding, maps, considerations for handicap-equipped vehicles and patients with special needs, and helping find spaces during the garage's busiest times.
Marketing Projects
The Family Advisory Council is involved with ongoing marketing projects, including hospital signage, brochures and various other written materials.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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".
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.
Video Task Force, 2004
Child Life and the Family Advisory Council established video-viewing guidelines for patients and families.
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.
Family Advisory Council Web Content
The Family Advisory Council developed web content to communicate about its members and activities during 2003.
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.
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.
Web Site Testing, 2002
Family Advisory Council members assisted with testing the Cincinnati Children's web site to ensure family-friendly navigation and terminology.
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.For more information, please contact the Family Advisory Council.
