The Importance of Patient and Family Advisory Councils

Written by Sophia Mulak

For years healthcare decisions were being made for patients instead of with them, patient and family advisory councils (PFACs) are working to change this. PFACs first started being formed in North America in the 1970s and have become increasingly more common in the healthcare community (Patient Experience Journal, 2021).  These councils consist of patients, family members, and caregivers of patients. They are vital to the healthcare community because they give healthcare centres and professionals a way to hear and learn from the patient perspective, which helps improve patient experiences and contributes to an overall better healthcare system.

These councils are found at all different levels of the healthcare system and can range from general patient care to councils for specific patient treatments. This wide range allows for a diverse amount of perspective and ensures that patient voices are being heard at all levels.

The Schulich Heart Program Patient and Family Advisory Council at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is a PFAC in Toronto. Members of this PFAC “volunteer their time as part of the Schulich Heart Program Patient and Family Advisory Council and work with our health care teams to further improve the patient and family experience… The focus is on providing advice to help further improve how services and care are delivered at the Schulich Heart Centre.” (Sunnybrook, 2026). Chris Silva was a patient at the Schulich Heart Centre who became a patient advisor in order to improve the experiences of other patients. Silva was transferred to Sunnybrook, where he underwent a successful quadruple bypass surgery, though he explains that until after the surgery, he and his wife felt very out of the loop and didn’t really know what was going on (Sunnybrook, 2026). After the surgery, he heard about the PFAC and immediately knew he wanted to join to help work towards better patient-provider communication (Sunnybrook, 2026). Silva’s story is a great example of why these councils are needed and why patient perspectives are so important.

It is evident that these councils are essential and that their importance is not to be undermined, though it is crucial that these councils are actually used to their fullest potential. Healthcare centres and professionals have a responsibility to properly utilize these councils and truly take time to understand the perspectives of the patients and family members. While these councils do not have any true authority when it comes to implementing changes in the healthcare system, healthcare professionals do. Therefore, a strong partnership is required between PFACs and hospitals to ensure patient voices are actually being considered; without trust and respect from both sides, these councils will not work.

Sources:

Majid, U. (2021). Patient Experience Journal Patient Experience Journal Volume 10. Patient Experience Journal. https://pxjournal.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1806&context=journal 

From patient to patient advisor: Chris’ story of engagement at Sunnybrook. Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. (2026, February 19). https://sunnybrook.ca/2026/02/from-patient-to-patient-advisor-chris-story-of-engagement-at-sunnybrook/