A Toolkit to Improve Diversity in Patient and Family Advisory Councils: A New Method to Advance Health Equity

Abstract

The Institute of Medicine (2001) identifies equity as one of six essential components of healthcare quality. However, many health-care organizations lack a formal method to deeply understand and evaluate diverse patient and family experiences. Understanding care experiences of patients and families from minority racial and ethnic groups is essential to improving pervasive health disparities and to making health care more equitable. This article describes the creation of a toolkit aimed at strengthening health-care organizations’ abilities to advance health equity through patient and family advisory councils (PFACs). This resource, cocreated with representatives from diverse PFACs, identifies and promotes strategies to recruit and retain diverse representation in advisory councils.

Keywords

patient- and family-centered care patient and family advisory councils diversity inclusion health equity toolkit

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