Martie Carnie

In this inaugural column of “In the Patient’s and Family’s Voice,” we introduce Martie Carnie, one of our hard-working patient and family advisors. As a 24-year patient at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, she is a founding member of the Dana-Farber Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) and the BWH Patient and Family Steering Committee. She brings a wealth of experience in patient- and family-centered care, patient safety, patient satisfaction, patient outcomes and patient advocacy by reflecting the patient’s voice in the care experience.

“Having the voice of patients and their families in partnership with clinicians and staff to improve communication and patient safety results in better outcomes for all participants,” Carnie said. “This gives an opportunity for an open dialogue and sets the care expectations and limitations during the patient’s care experience.”

For instance, many patients and families experience long waits during their loved one’s procedure, Carnie said. In the absence of continual communication about the status of the patient, most family members tell her that they always fear the worst is happening. Family members are reticent to approach BWH staff for updated information. The simple solution to this concern could be to identify a staff person who recognizes that the family is present and then communicates timely updates. While this is the practice in the formal family liaison areas for patients having surgery, this concept could be applied across the continuum of the patient’s care experience. This simple awareness reduces the fear and anxiety the patients’ family experiences while increasing their comfort.

Patients and family members become patient and family advisors out of their gratitude for the care and care givers and to improve the process for those who journey behind them. Literature supports that patient and family advisory councils improve the overall patient satisfaction and experience. BWH currently has seven active councils and seven developing committees delineated by departments. One of the roles Carnie fulfills as a seasoned patient advisor is to model the advisory role for new advisors during the infancy stages of new council development.

BWH nurses can contribute to existing or new council development by recommending potential patient and family advisors to their nursing director.

“We hope that you will hear and see this as an opportunity where we are all partners in care and part of the BWH team working to continually improve patient care,” Carnie said.