Keck Medicine of USC has created two new Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFAC) that will serve USC-Verdugo Hills Hospital and USC Care Ambulatory Services. The goal of the councils, which meet monthly, is to focus on patient and family centered care; whereby, patients and families collaborate to form true partnerships with their providers. The councils are dedicated to partnering with members of the health care team for guidance on how to improve their experiences. The Verdugo Hills Hospital PFAC has chosen, as their first project, to improve the experience of patients and families in the emergency department. The USC Care Ambulatory Services is focusing on improvements to the patient portal.

These two new PFACs join the USC Norris Cancer Hospital PFAC, which is composed of cancer survivors, and the Keck Hospital PFAC, which is working on creating a welcome video and brochure for new patients.

Council members commit two hours each month to help develop programs and policies that are relevant to our patient and family needs, promote advocacy and involvement, and volunteer as PFAC advisors for meetings and process improvement projects.

For more information or to apply for membership, email PFAC@med.usc.edu.

— L. Alexis Young