Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Patient and Family Advisory Councils: Advancing Best Practice in Children’s Hospitals

Many children’s hospitals across the United States have successfully integrated patient and family advisory councils (PFACs) into their operations, bringing crucial voices to the table. However, hospitals have also struggled to build PFACs that truly reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. They also may fail to effectively involve PFAC members in their organization-wide diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. This article from the Journal of Pediatric Health Care shares the findings from a recent study conducted by the Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, which identified best practices for children’s hospitals to adopt in addressing these challenges, including more actively reaching out to their communities, creating options for participating at different levels of involvement, and co-creation of inclusive environments. The article complements the work described in an earlier report, Strengthening the Diversity and Role of Patient and Family Advisory Councils: Opportunities for Action.