Alberta Health Services

Patient and Family Advisors: Roles and Responsibilities

Module 1: Patient/Family Advisor and

Staff Liaison Orientation

Module 3:

Meaningful Engagement

Module 2:

Staff Liaisons: Roles and

Responsibilities

Module 1:

Patient and Family

Advisors: Roles and

Responsibilities

Education Series Overview

• Principles of Patient and Family Centred Care

• Roles and Responsibilities

• Sharing Your Story

• Levels of Involvement

• Communication Tips

• Boundaries and Limitations

Key Learning Goals

Principles of Patient and Family Centred Care

DIGNITY AND RESPECT

• Patient and family perspectives, choices, beliefs

and values are listened to and honoured.

INFORMATION SHARING

• Patients and families receive complete and

unbiased information in ways that are affirming

and useful.

PARTICIPATION

• Patients and families are encouraged to participate

in care and decision making at the level they

choose.

COLLABORATION

• Patients and families are involved in the design,

delivery, and evaluation of health services.

Patient and Family Advisors are

individuals with either a direct or an

indirect health care experience as either

a patient, family member or caregiver/

support person for a patient.

They are volunteers who have an active

role in helping to understand and

improve the patient/family experience

which ultimately increases the quality

and safety of patient care.

What Is An Advisor?

Characteristics of a Successful Advisor

Patient and

Family Advisors

Work collaboratively to improve the patient and

family experience and bring about meaningful change

Respect and listen to the perspectives and experiences of others

Ask questions and seek

clarificationMaintain confidentiality of patient and organizational

information

Represent the patient and family voice by seeing

beyond your own personal

experiences

Share personal stories and insights in ways others can

learn from

• Stories are memorable and can inspire change

• Your story is the key to why you are an advisor

• You can choose how, when and the modes for

sharing your story

Why Stories Matter

Sharing Your Story - Important Considerations

USE THE 5 W’s

WHO is it about?

WHAT happened?

WHEN did it take place?

WHERE did it take place?

WHY did it happen?

This is your story from your

perspective:

• What do you want to be

different because you

shared your story?

• Focus on experiences, not

people

• Avoid personal identifiers

in your story

• Is this something you feel

comfortable sharing?

Levels of Involvement

Regular and

ongoing

• A dedicated member of a long-term

committee, council or advisory group

Occasional

or short-term

• Short-term working groups or design

sprints

One-time

• One-time consultations (brochures,

policies, focus groups, surveys, etc.)

• Sharing your story with frontline staff, at

conferences, in meetings

Scope: Provincial, Zone, Site, Program or Project

Effective Communication

Advocacy vs Advisory

ADVOCACY work seeks to

ENSURE SPECIFIC

OUTCOMES

ADVISORY work seeks to

INFORM PROCESS

Boundaries and Limitations

Respect personal boundaries

Maintain confidentiality

Avoid giving medical advice

Participate within the scope of your advisory position

Benefits and Opportunities

Benefits and Opportunities

• Educate leaders and care providers about the value of Patient and Family Centred Care

• Personal growth and development

• Develop personal relationships and networking opportunities

• Help create a safer, more patient and family centred healthcare system

Supports for Advisors

OrientationStaff

LiaisonsVolunteer

Resources

Patient and FamilyAdvisors

Self Care

Questions?

For More Information

Engagement and Patient Experience Website:

http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/info/patientengagement.aspx

Volunteer Resources – Patient Engagement:

http://bit.ly/AHSAdvisorOpportunities

Evaluation

https://survey.albertahealthservices.ca/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=94KK7n852

References/Acknowledgements/Resources

• Alberta Health Services. (2017). Why Stories Matter Video with Verna Yiu.

Retrieved September 27, 2017 from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIFEYZa7V1c

• Engagement and Patient Experience. (2017). Patient and Family Advisory

Group Orientation Handbook. Alberta Health Services.

• Engagement and Patient Experience. (n.d.). What’s Your Story? A Storytelling

Resource Kit for Patient and Family Advisors. Alberta Health Services

• Institute for Patient and Family-Centred Care. (n.d). Patient and Family

Centred Care. Retrieved on September 27, 2017 from

http://www.ipfcc.org/about/pfcc.html

• Lamb, J., Lacombe, D., Smith, D. (2017). Strategic Clinical NetworksTM Patient

Engagement Reference Group Orientation Handbook. Alberta Health Services.

• Tiffany Christensen. (2017). Exploring Patient and Family Advisor (PFA)

Communication. Retrieved on September 27, 2017 from

http://sickgirlspeaks.com/training_videos

• Volunteer Resources. (2017). An Introduction to Volunteering with Alberta

Health Services for Patient and Family Advisors. Alberta Health Services.