Patient Advisor Program

Help us discover what matters to you!

Who are Patient Advisors?

Patient Advisors are patients and their family members or caregivers willing to contribute their own patient/caregiver experience to the conversation. Their main goal is to improve the health care experience for themselves and others. 

A patient and family advisor is someone who:

• Wants to help improve healthcare for current and future patients
• Gives feedback based on his or her own experiences as a patient or family member
• Helps us plan changes to continually improve how we provide care to our patients
• Volunteers his or her time typically (1-4 hours per month)

What have Patient Advisors accomplished so far?

Since the launch of PERC, Henry Ford has implemented numerous changes with the help of Patient/Family Advisors.

Some of these accomplishments include:

• Patient Advisors redesigned and reformatted the Inpatient After Visit Summary to be more patient-friendly and more useful for caregivers.
• Patient Advisor input helped with the renovation of the Emergency Room at Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital (Discussed blue prints, patient flow, and special rooms for grieving families).
• The Cancer Center Patient & Family Advisory Council (PFAC), made up of cancer patients, survivors and their caregivers, advised leaders on plans for the new Henry Ford Cancer location which opened in early 2021. They have given guidance to the architecture firm on specific building features and cancer support services that are important to patients and caregivers. The HFCI Opening included Patient Advisor Deidra Moody as an honored guest, ringing the liminal bell.
• Patient Advisors on the HF Macomb Patient & Family Advisory Council (PFAC) worked closely with the Macomb Tower team to provide input on parking, room set up, quietness, lighting, comfort, family amenities along with will doors all be push button for less infectious encounters.

To view a list of all Patient Advisor accomplishments, please view our PERC 2024 Annual Report.

In what way can I get involved as a Patient Advisor?

In order to make Patient-Centered Research more meaningful to patients and their families, Henry Ford Health focuses on building and maintaining relationships within the community, starting with each patient. As such, we have created a variety of Patient Advisor roles, and we invite patients, their family members, caregivers, and the community the chance to offer input and feedback on various aspects of the patient experience. 

As a Patient Advisor, you can participate in improving patient care policies, processes, communication materials, quality improvement activities, and safety efforts. And as a result, your feedback will have a direct impact on other’s patient experiences, and ultimately healthcare.

Based on your area of interest and/or expertise, we have the following opportunities and the related expectations: