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febrero 26, 2015

The Patient’s Voice: MNHC Patient Advisory Council

One of the values of Mission Neighborhood Health Center (MNHC) is to develop strong relationships with its patients and honor their voices. To support that value, in 2014 we launched the Patient Advisory Council thanks to the generous funding of the Center for Care Innovations and the Institute for Patient and Family Centered Care. Dr. Ricardo Alvarez, MNHC’s medical director, spearheaded the development of a council consisting of patients who could help the health center better understand the voice of patients and improve the patient experience. MNHC’s Chronic Care Coordinator, Iran Pont and AmeriCorps member Carolina Jimenez, along with Dr. Alvarez, lead the council.

The Patient Advisory Council consists of nine members who are current MNHC patients. During monthly meetings members discuss patient concerns, suggest areas of improvement for the health center, and listen to guest speakers that discuss services available for their community. The goal is for the committee to help MNHC improve the patient experience thorough feedback that ranges from assessing the comfort of chairs in waiting room areas to helping develop ideas for new programs for patients.

One of the first projects of the council was to install a suggestion box, decorated by a local artist, in the waiting room of the Shotwell Adult Medicine clinic. To help boost response rate, committee members help patients fill out the comment surveys and explain the importance of patient feedback.

The survey queries patients to rate their experience from excellent to poor in four areas: courtesy of staff, efficiency of visit, cleanliness of the MNHC facility, and overall quality of the visit.  Patients are also encouraged to provide any comments or suggestions and their contact information if they wish to discuss their feedback further with a staff member.

Sylvia, a patient of MNHC since 2004 and a member of the council, believes the suggestions box has been a great idea.  “Patients have the option now to give suggestions and comments about their experience on paper,” she explained. “The first time we asked patients to fill out the comments form we received 17 responses!”

The council members have the unique perspective of being a patient and therefore understand what patients need. “The committee provides senior staff with patient feedback. We give clinic patients a voice” said Sylvia. “The patients have confidence in us. We are part of the community too.”

Etelvina, a patient for more than 15 years, decided to join the council when she heard about the program during her weekly diabetes education class at MNHC.  “Before being on the council I have always been active in helping patients. As a survivor of brain cancer, I know how important it is to receive support” she said. “The council helps me give back to fellow patients”

There is no doubt that the council gives back to the community and the health center.  In addition to helping collect surveys, the council is also collecting signatures to help the National Association of Community Health Centers petition against cuts in government funding of community health centers in the United States.

The Patient Advisory council is just getting started and has many projects ahead that will help MNHC build stronger relationships with its patients and more effectively respond to their needs.

If you would like to help keep health centers in our community, please Sign the Petition Today!  

[1] http://www.nachc.com/client/CEFS11.pdf

[2] http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/50894/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=12885

 

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