Highlighting Family Perspectives
The GCH Family Connection Program (FCP) serves as a valuable complement to the hospital's ongoing efforts to improve standards of care at every level, according to Jan Schriefer, the Director of the Quality and Patient Safety Program at GCH. Initiated by Jennifer Johnson, Director of Family and Community Outreach at GCH, the FCP was started in 2020 as a feeder program for various volunteer family engagement opportunities.
The FCP builds upon and enhances existing initiatives, such as the pediatric advisory council led by Carla LeVant. It aims to bridge the gap between hospital staff and families by providing opportunities for parents and caregivers to offer input to improve care and promote the institution. Since moving past the pilot phase and creating online registration in the fall of 2022, more than 60 families have signed up for the program.
One of the key aspects of the FCP is the sensory carts, equipped with weighted blankets, headphones, and other materials, designed to help provide a more welcoming and safe environment for children with special needs. Nanci Bentley, a parent of a child treated at GCH for over 12 years, was recruited to serve on several quality assurance committees through the Family Connection Program. Her input led to the development of new sensory carts for patients living with autism or who have sensory needs in 2021.
The FCP includes training on HIPAA protocol, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and medical center ICARE values. It allows families to be engaged who may not have had the opportunity before, as Zoom meetings can be attended from the comfort of their homes. Twenty active family advisors currently serve on quality improvement committees dedicated to improving care in each clinical area of the hospital.
The expansion of the FCP in 2023 will also include the expansion of buddy programs, gaining more participation from ESL families, identifying families willing to share their stories for public relations and fundraising efforts. GCH plans to place more families in different areas, supporting peers, and being involved in quality improvement projects.
Bentley found the Family Connection Program experience rewarding and accommodating of her time, requiring only a few hours a month. The FCP has been critical in identifying improvement areas that clinical teams may overlook, such as family-centered central line care and feeding tube care, and ensuring equitable care for patients of different backgrounds.
According to Jennifer Johnson, the GCH Family Connection Program model could pave the way for other hospitals to form similar programs. However, detailed progress and impact reports may be found in organizational reports or direct communications from the program's sponsors or administrators.
- The Family Connection Program (FCP) at GCH, which started in 2020, not only provides opportunities for parents and caregivers to offer input on improving family health but also aims to foster a health-and-wellness environment for all patients, especially those with special needs.
- As the GCH Family Connection Program expands in 2023, it will place more emphasis on science, diversity, and inclusion, engaging families in various quality improvement projects, and promoting equitable care for all by addressing issues such as family-centered central line care and feeding tube care.
