Including Patients and Families in Care Redesign

This is the first in a series of articles in Clinical & Research News, highlighting the inclusion of patients and family members on many committees throughout the hospital. In advisory roles, patients and families are partnering with clinicians and administrators to improve the patient experience at BWH. For information on how to partner with patients in your area, please contact the BWH Center for Patients and Families at 617-732-6636.

Omar Hasan, MD

Omar Hasan, MD, is the medical director of Continuum of Care Strategies and a hospitalist at Brigham and Women's Hospital. In his role as medical director, he has engaged patient and family advisors on his Continuum of Care Steering Committee.

The BWH Continuum of Care Steering Committee has been charged with developing a hospital-wide initiative to provide a seamless health care experience for patients.

One of the clinical projects that the committee is researching is how to provide all patients with a follow-up appointment made with a physician before they are discharged from the hospital.

"Our patient and family advisors have been instrumental in this initiative and provide valuable feedback to the team," Hasan said.

The Continuum of Care Steering Committee has two patient and family advisors on the council: Judie Ham, former administrator of Endocrinology Clinical and Research programs at the Boston VA, and Audrey Haas, executive director of the Center for Faculty Development and Diversity at BWH. Both say they appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback to the committee from the patient and family perspective.

"I'm impressed with the commitments of the individuals on the committee and the perseverance this group has," said Ham, who has served on the council for the past two years. "I am able to provide a patient opinion, and the council members are receptive to my feedback."

Haas, the latest advisor to join the council, said she is "hopeful about the committee and the changes that it can make in improving the patient experience."  

The inclusion of patients and family members on the committee highlights one of the initiatives of patient and family centered care at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "We have adopted the Institute of Patient and Family Centered Care framework which promotes respect and maintaining the dignity of patients and family members who are then able to collaborate and build mutual partnerships with their health care providers," explained Maureen Fagan, DNP, MHA, the executive director for the BWH Center for Patients and Families.

"I think that by including patients and families in the redesign effort, we are in a better position to sustain the changes the committee is trying to make," Hasan said.