Baystate Wing Hospital Seeks Patient and Family Advisory Council Members

PALMER — Baystate Wing Hospital is seeking community members to join its Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC), which will consist of patients and family members of patients who have received services at the hospital on either an inpatient or outpatient basis.

“The mission of the Baystate Wing Hospital Patient and Family Advisory Council is to facilitate collaboration between patients, family members, hospital staff, administration, and physicians to enhance the overall patient-care experience,” said Nicole Apostle, Patient Experience specialist at Baystate Wing Hospital. “PFAC members can have a valuable impact on the patient experience through sharing their ideas and providing feedback on the planning and design of hospital-based programs and services. Our goal is to ensure the delivery of high-quality healthcare experiences that will improve services to patients and families.”

PFACs are required at all hospitals in Massachusetts and were created to champion family participation in hospital care and decision making. PFACs also provide input about issues and trends to be considered by hospital administration and staff in policymaking, program development, staff training, and education. They also offer advice on community-based education needs to better inform the public about how to play an active role in their healthcare.

If you or someone you love received care at Baystate Wing Hospital and have ideas to help improve care for patients and families, you are invited to apply to join the Baystate Wing Hospital PFAC. Meetings are held once a month for one hour during the week. A variety of projects are currently underway for the coming year, and members are asked to join the conversation and be a part of creating meaningful change for patients and families at the hospital.

To learn more about PFAC or to apply for membership, contact Nicole Apostle at (413) 370-5228 or nicole.apostle@baystatehealth.org.