Black Belt PFAC Metrics Challenge

  Tampa General Hospital

PFAC: TGH Patient and Family Advisory Council

Liaisons: Amber Washington and Alison Hager

Project: Reducing Unplanned Revisits After Outpatient Colonoscopy

Procedure directions are a great opportunity for PFACs to help craft more understandable instructions. Tampa General partnered with its PFAC to improve patient education following outpatient colonoscopy. PFAC members reviewed and redesigned a one-page discharge education tool, focusing on clarity and patient usability. The hospital tracked revisit rates using national benchmarking data and achieved a reduction from 1.42% (91st percentile) to 0.6% (32nd percentile). The improvement translated into fewer unplanned returns and potential cost savings of $5,000 to $18,000 per avoided revisit. 

  Stanford Health Care

PFAC: Cystic Fibrosis PFAC

Liaisons: Katie Smith, Kate Yablonsky

Project: Increasing Advance Care Planning Documentation

Stanford Health Care's Cystic Fibrosis PFAC worked with clinic leaders to increase the number of patients with documented advance care plans. PFAC members recommended offering dedicated video visits focused solely on advance care planning. The clinic tracked completion rates before and after implementation and increased documented plans from 10% to 38%, making advance care planning a standard part of care for this patient population. 

The Johns Hopkins Hospital

PFAC: Adult Inpatient PFAC

Liaisons: Ariel Mabry, Kayla Riggleman, Monica Stone

Project: Reducing Discharge Time Through a Hospitality Discharge Lounge

The Johns Hopkins Hospital engaged its Adult Inpatient PFAC to develop and open a hospitality discharge lounge aimed at improving patient flow and reducing discharge delays. PFAC members provided input on the lounge’s design and overall patient experience, ensuring it met patient and care partner needs. The hospital measured discharge efficiency and reduced discharge time by an average of 40 minutes per patient, improving throughput while maintaining a positive patient experience. 

 Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center

PFAC: Spanish Family Forum

Liaison: Karla Eysoldt

Project: Reducing Appointment No-Shows

Cincinnati Children’s engaged its Spanish Family Forum to address persistent appointment no-shows for newborn screenings among non-English speaking families. PFAC members helped refine outreach strategies and patient communication, ensuring materials were culturally and linguistically appropriate. After implementing this change, the team saw immediate improvements among Spanish‑speaking families. The pre‑call text approach was then expanded to all newborn screening appointments, contributing to a reduction in the overall no‑show rate from 17% to 12%. This improvement enhanced access to care, increased clinic efficiency, and strengthened trust with families. 

William Osler Health System (Canada)

Liaison: Mary Jane McNally

Project: Improving Patient Involvement in Care

William Osler partnered with its PFAC to improve scores on a patient experience indicator measuring involvement in care. PFAC members helped identify and prioritize change ideas and informed how results were communicated to patients. Using post-discharge surveys, the health system increased the percentage of patients reporting they were “always” involved in their care from 77.5% to over 82%, reinforcing the value of sustained patient partnership across a large, diverse population.