RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 “How Can We Talk about Patient-centered Care without Patients at the Table?” Lessons Learned from Patient Advisory Councils
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Medicine
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP 775
OP 784
DO 10.3122/jabfm.2016.06.150380
VO 29
IS 6
A1 Sharma, Anjana E.
A1 Willard-Grace, Rachel
A1 Willis, Andrew
A1 Zieve, Olivia
A1 Dubé, Kate
A1 Parker, Charla
A1 Potter, Michael B.
YR 2016
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/29/6/775.abstract
AB Context and Objective: Patient advisory councils (PACs) are a strategy for primary care clinics to engage patients in practice improvement. However, there is scant research on how PACs function. This study aimed to understand how PACs are organized and identify common challenges and perceived benefits of high-functioning PACs.Setting and Population: Key informants identified 8 primary care clinics in California with high-functioning PACs. Leaders from each of the 8 clinics nominated 1 clinic staff member and 1 PAC patient member to be interviewed.Study Design: Semistructured, one-on-one interviews were conducted at each clinic site or by phone. Interviews were dual-coded using modified grounded theory. Common themes were identified that would be pertinent to the development of future best practices for running PACs.Results: Common characteristics of high-functioning PACs included careful attention to participant recruitment, facilitation strategies guiding diverse personalities toward a common purpose, and assigning accountability for practice improvement projects. Interviewees identified a variety of positive outcomes that ranged from tangible improvements to the waiting area to a more patient-centered staff culture.Conclusions: PACs show potential for promoting patient-centered practice improvements in primary care. Lessons learned from high-functioning PACs can inform a common set of strategies to assist practices in creating and sustaining effective advisory councils.