Patient and Family Advisory Council | MaineHealth Stephens Hospital

The Patient Family Advisory Council is dedicated to cultivating partnerships between patients and their family members, caregivers, and administration, with an emphasis on patient safety and family-centered care.

Through contributions to hospital planning, procedures, and policies, the PFAC serves as the voice of patients and families who are committed to working together to improve patient and family experiences.

At MaineHealth Stephens Hospital (MHSH), our PFAC is accountable to:

• Improve overall patient experience
• Increase hospital recommendation
• Build a partnership with patients and families
• Serve as an advisory resource to the hospital, physician practices, and/or other affiliated programs
• Review and discuss quality improvement reports and ongoing efforts to improve healthcare practices and outcomes
• Create awareness of the PFAC’s role in the community and encourage broad participation
• Understand, provide feedback on, and/ or establish action steps for goals set by MaineHealth and/or MHSH that impact patient care

MaineHealth Stephens Hospital is part of MaineHealth, a not-for-profit, integrated health system whose vision is, “Working together so our communities are the healthiest in America,” and is committed to a mission of providing high-quality affordable care, educating tomorrow's caregivers, and researching better ways to provide care. MaineHealth includes a Level 1 trauma medical center, eight additional licensed hospitals, comprehensive pediatric care services, an extensive behavioral health care network, diagnostic services as well as home health, hospice, and senior care services. With more than 2,000 employed providers and approximately 24,000 care team members, MaineHealth provides preventive care, diagnosis, and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire.

MaineHealth Stephens Hospital History Timeline

• 1946 - Stephens Memorial Hospital Association Incorporated
• 1957 - Stephens Memorial Hospital Association
• 1977 - Major Addition / Expansion
• 1996 – Ripley Medical Office Building
• 1999 – Became a member of MaineHealth
• 2010 – Critical Access Hospital Status Obtained
• 2016 – William L. Medd, MD Health Center
• 2018 – MaineHealth Unification
• 2020 – Bob & Sandy Bahre Health Center
• 2022 – MaineHealth EMS Building
• 2024 – MaineHealth Stephens Hospital Rebrand

Shared Values

At MaineHealth Stephens Hospital, we are dedicated to preserving diversity and inclusiveness aligned with our organizational values shared across the MaineHealth System:

• Patient centered
• Respect
• Integrity
• Excellence
• Ownership
• Innovation

Shared Mission

MaineHealth is a not-for-profit health system dedicated to improving the health of our patients and communities by providing high-quality affordable care, educating tomorrow's caregivers, and researching better ways to provide care. As a member of the MaineHealth system, MaineHealth Stephens Hospital shares this mission.

Shared Vision

Working together so our communities are the healthiest in America.

MaineHealth Stephens Hospital Strategic Priorities

View the complete MaineHealth 2023 - 2027 Strategic Plan

These five strategic priorities form the foundation for our efforts over the next five years and determine the system’s strategic direction.

• Community: Foster trusting partnerships to improve and promote the overall health, environmental, and economic well-being of the communities we are privileged to serve.
• Patients: Nurture a culture of caring in which empathy in every interaction with our patients (and with each other) leads to the best possible health outcomes.
• Financial Health: We cultivate an affordable and sustainable care delivery model that ensures convenient access to high-quality care for all. By balancing cost, efficiency, and excellence, we strive to meet the needs of our patients while maintaining a system that can thrive for generations to come.
• Processes: Advance a culture of innovation, continuous learning, and performance improvement, promoting a discipline of accountability.
• People: Further the development of an inclusive environment where all care team members can thrive and feel supported to realize their full potential.

Overview

• PFAC membership is intended to reflect and prioritize the voices of patients and families.
• Members are expected to bring valuable perspectives, lived experience, or relevant skills that support PFAC’s mission.
• As a general rule, PFAC members are expected to be MHSH patients or to have immediate family member(s) who receive care at MHSH.

Exceptional Circumstances

• In rare and exceptional circumstances, an applicant who does not meet the above eligibility criteria may be considered.
• Such consideration requires a compelling and clearly documented justification.
• Exceptions are limited to individuals who demonstrate unique expertise, experience, or perspective that is:
  • Directly relevant to PFAC’s work, and
  • Not reasonably available through eligible patient or family applicants.
• Any exception must:
  • Align with PFAC’s mission,
  • Preserve the patient- and family-centered nature of the council, and
  • Present no actual or perceived conflict of interest.
• Exceptions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and are expected to be infrequent.

Recruitment and Selection

• New members are recruited by:
  • MHSH Care Team members
  • Volunteer Services
  • Current PFAC members
  • Word of mouth
• Candidates will be vetted through Quality and Safety, then interviewed by PFAC Council Leadership prior to appointment.

Orientation and Commitment

• All PFAC members are volunteers and are required to complete the MHSH volunteer orientation program.
• PFAC-specific orientation will be coordinated by the Chair and/or Co-Chair(s).
• Members are expected to attend the majority of PFAC meetings each year.
• Meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month, from 10:00 am to 11:30 am, either in person or virtually, as circumstances permit.

Role

Listen with empathy. Give input based on your own experience but be able to step out of your individual perspective. Do not deal with personal issues in your advisory activities.

• Take responsibility for learning as much as you can about the hospital and current issues in health care.
• Develop effective communication skills. Ask questions and be open-minded in discussions. Be thoughtful in the words you use, especially if an issue brings up strong emotions.
• Learn to be comfortable with staff, as well as other patients and families. Adapt to different situations, as necessary. Know that your own healthcare experiences bring value and will help make a difference for others.

Patient Safety

Excerpts from the MaineHealth Stephens Hospital Patient Safety Program Policy:

MaineHealth Stephens Hospital promotes an environment that demonstrates the following:

• Open communication about preventable adverse events and outcomes
• A just culture which supports a reporting philosophy, policy, and practice that creates an environment in which it is safe for caregivers to speak up about problems, errors, inefficiencies of practice, conflicts, and misunderstandings
• An atmosphere of accountability, trust, and respect which facilitates learning from errors
• Targeted process improvement projects which enhance patient safety
• An environment that facilitates innovation, creative solutions, and empowerment
• Ongoing training and education of new and current employees, Medical Staff and Local Board members that reinforces the use of patient safety common language and knowledge of MaineHealth Stephens Hospital’s patient safety policies and communication techniques
• A reduction of errors through tracking, trend analysis, and process improvements which enhance safety

Patient Experience

Patient experience surveys focus on various aspects of healthcare quality and patient satisfaction. These surveys focus on key aspects of care, including:

• Communication: Measures how well healthcare providers communicate with patients, including clarity of explanations and responsiveness.
• Facility Conditions: Assesses the cleanliness and comfort of the healthcare facility.
• Care Coordination: Evaluates how well services are coordinated among different providers.
• Overall Satisfaction: Gauges the patient’s general satisfaction with their care experience.
• Staff interaction: Assesses the professionalism, empathy, and attentiveness exhibited by healthcare staff.

These surveys help healthcare organizations identify areas needing improvement and enhance patient-centered care.

Developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey collects patient experience feedback on care received during a hospital inpatient stay. HCAHPS is the first national, standardized, and publicly reported survey of patient perceptions of hospital care.

The survey has three broad goals:

• Allow objective and meaningful comparisons of hospitals on topics that are important to consumers
• Create new incentives for hospitals to improve the quality of care
• Enhance accountability in health care by increasing transparency of the quality of hospital care provided in return for public investment (Medicare and Medicaid)

As part of our ongoing commitment to improving patient experiences across the care continuum, MaineHealth offers an opportunity for patients to provide feedback across many different services, ensuring patients have an opportunity to provide feedback for the many areas care is provided.

Surveys are sent shortly after the patient’s visit or discharge, typically within 24-48 hours. They may be received through web links, email, and SMS (text message). CMS required surveys may also be sent by mail. For all surveys, multiple outreach attempts are made to ensure the patient’s voice is heard. They are also available in multiple languages to make participation easy and inclusive.

Public Reporting

CMS publishes participating hospitals' HCAHPS results on the Hospital Compare website (www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov) four times a year. Additional HCAHPS results can be found on HCAHPS On-Line, (www.hcahpsonline.org).

Internal Reporting

Patient experience results are tracked and published throughout MaineHealth. “Quality Boards” are located throughout the hospital in public spaces so patients, families, visitors, and staff can see how we are performing against critical measures.

• MaineHealth Stephens Hospital - Our website is the best overall source for information about MaineHealth Stephens Hospital.
• Medicare.gov/hospitalcompare - This consumer-oriented website provides information on how well hospitals provide recommended care to patients, intended to be helpful to patients in making informed decisions.
• HCAHPSonline.org - HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) provides a national standardized publicly reported survey of patients’ perspective of hospital care. HCAHPS results are widely used throughout MaineHealth in patient experience performance improvement efforts. 
• JointCommission.org - TJC (The Joint Commission) is a non-profit organization that accredits more than 20,500 healthcare organizations and programs in the U.S. based on standards that are essential to providing safe, high-quality care.
• LeapfrogGroup.org - This survey assesses hospitals in three areas: How patients fare, resources used in caring for patients, and leadership and structures that promote safety. MaineHealth participates in this survey.
• AHRQ.gov - The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality encourages patients to get more involved in their healthcare by asking questions, talking to clinicians, and understanding their conditions.