Patient and Family Advisory Councils at Sutter Health

Who are Patient and Family Advisors?

Patient and Family Advisors (PFAs) are volunteers who work in partnership with leaders, care providers and staff to collaborate on ways of improving the patient and family experience at Sutter Health. Advisors share their experiences and unique perspectives to help us identify areas where we are doing well and pinpoint opportunities for improvement. Specific activities may include:

• Providing input on practices and policies that patients and families find meaningful and useful in helping them be active partners in their care.
• Sharing insight to provide a fuller picture of the care experience than standard patient and family satisfaction surveys provide.
• Helping identify and implement ways to improve care quality, safety and experience for all patients and families.

Who Can Become an Advisor?

• Any patient who has received care in the last five years.
  Family members whose loved one has received care in the last five years are also invited to participate.
• Advisors should be available to volunteer four or more hours per month.
• Advisors should be able to share their perspectives, experiences and suggestions in a variety of settings. Advisors need to have the ability to see beyond their personal experiences and respect the diversity of differing opinions.

How to Become a Patient and Family Advisor

Complete the PFA Referral Form

To request more information, please contact us at patientfamilyeng@sutterhealth.org.