By Trish Yerges

Grande Ronde Hospital and Clinics (GRH) offers many fulfilling and gratifying volunteer positions, but none are more influential in advancing patient care and best practices than the Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFACs). 

Patient and Family Advisory Councils are comprised of GRH patients, their family members, and caregivers who are willing to discuss their “lived-in experiences” in a solution-oriented forum. PFAC volunteers relate their observations and feedback to healthcare professionals at PFAC meetings. They collectively function as a think tank for resolutions to reshape policies and best practices and improve healthcare for themselves and the community.

To join a PFAC, there is an onboarding process where volunteers sign a confidentiality agreement and commit to a two-year term that includes monthly or bi-monthly meetings at the hospital or a specified clinic. These meetings are typically one and a half hours long and include a light meal.

Post-pandemic recruitment for PFAC volunteers is vital to reinvigorate PFACs that were previously dormant due to pandemic gathering restrictions. GRH wants to make them fully functional again. Would you be willing to volunteer on a PFAC committee, bring feedback to the table, and discuss remedial improvements to patient care and best practices at GRH and its clinics? If so, we need your voice, feedback, and ideas!

Jana Green, the manager of the Urgent Care Clinic and the facilitator of the PFAC covering the La Grande Clinics, including Urgent Care, Primary Care, and all the specialty clinics, has struggled recruiting volunteers. This PFAC meets at GRH every third Wednesday, every other month, at 5:30 p.m. Green had 12 volunteers at one point, but only four consistently attended the meetings.  

“Out of all the PFACs, we have the lowest number of community member volunteers,” Green said. “We’d like to see ten to twelve consistent volunteers with diverse backgrounds.” 

Other PFAC facilitators are looking for volunteers, including Randa Swindelhurst, Patient Experience Coordinator for Grande Ronde Hospital and Clinics. The PFAC she leads meets on the third Monday of each month from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. at GRH. 

Tia Murrill is the clinic manager and the PFAC facilitator for the combined Elgin and Union clinics. This PFAC meets every other month on the third Friday from noon to 1:30 p.m.  

“Elgin and Union have unique needs and different community styles, so they have their own separate PFAC,” Murrill said. “I’d love to see us grow to four volunteers for each clinic.” 

She explained that, unlike La Grande, the Elgin and Union clinics operate out of leased buildings, so their PFAC cannot suggest improvements to those buildings. However, the Elgin-Union PFAC volunteers focus on quality care, safety, and best practices. These kinds of discussions can bring advancement to small, rural clinics.  

“Volunteers bring a voice to the table, sharing their experiences and helping us ensure their experiences align with the care we strive to provide,” Green said. 

One PFAC volunteer suggested an outreach and educational campaign, so PFAC facilitators took the suggestion and started participating in health fairs and senior lunches, answering community questions, and showing people how MyChart can help them access their primary care providers—a common complaint among patients. 

The GRH marketing team also put together a PFAC brochure, posted information on social media, and launched a luncheon for PFAC volunteers. They also built a dedicated page on GRH.org with information on PFACs and how to apply as a volunteer. 

“Visit our website at GRH.org, and navigate to the ‘Patient & Visitors’ section.  It’s easy to select where you want to serve as a volunteer,” Green said. 

PFAC projects can produce tangible and practical improvements. One project at GRH involved improving the readability of the outpatient surgery status board in the waiting rooms. Through the PFAC process, the status board is now easier to understand and for the patient’s family to track their loved one on surgery day. 

“We want to show how PFAC is making a real difference and the positive changes that are happening because of their input,” Swindelhurst said. 

Another project involves helping people find their way around the hospital. How would a sight-impaired visitor or patient navigate the hospital? These are among the challenges that PFAC volunteers are trying to resolve. 

Patients have valuable observations, concerns, and ideas for improving the quality of patient care, and they are in the best position to recommend meaningful solutions. 

The community is invited to join a PFAC and see how your voice can have a valuable impact on patient care. To learn more, visit GRH.org or call 541-963-1818 to speak to Randa Swindelhurst.