Updates

Patient and Family Resources Patient and family advisors

How to become a patient and family advisor

Patient and family advisor responsibilities:

  • Recognize patients and families as a vital resource in patient care.
  • Promote patient- and family-centered care at Texas Children’s through guidance and active participation in patient and family engagement committees and initiatives.
  • Share both positive and negative personal experiences with Texas Children’s Hospital's programs and services.
  • Share experiences and opinions constructively and objectively.
  • Maintain discretion and patient and family confidentiality.
  • Be respectful of different points of view, valuing the diversity of patient and family experiences.
  • Collaborate and partner with other advisors and Texas Children’s staff and leadership, to improve the quality and safety of care at Texas Children’s.
  • Provide feedback on ways to improve the hospital/clinic experience for patients and families.
  • Actively participate in the engagement initiative and attend meetings regularly (if applicable).
  • Complete a Family Advisor Application and meet all Volunteer Services and Patient and Family Engagement requirements and orientations.

Patient and family engagement opportunities

The Department of Patient and Family Engagement provides a rich variety of opportunities for patients and families to partner with Texas Children’s depending on time availability, area of experience and/or area of interest.

Opportunities for Patient and Family Advisors include:

Hospital committee member

Patients and/or families serve as partners on internal committees for safety and quality improvement.

Advisory committee member

Patients and/or families serve as partners on macro-level and service-specific committees to promote patient- and family-centered care at Texas Children’s.  We have over 20 Advisory Committees including:

  • Austin Family Advisory Committee
  • Cancer & Hematology Centers Family Advisory Team
  • Children’s Advisory Board
  • Diabetes & Endocrine Service Family Advisory Team
  • Emergency Center Family Advisory Committee
  • Food Allergy Family Advisory Network
  • Genetics Family Advisory Committee
  • Heart Center Family Advisory Committee
  • Newborn Center Family Advisory Committee
  • Pavilion for Women Patient Advisory Committee
  • Radiology Patient Experience Committee
  • Transition Youth Advisory Team
  • Transition Youth Caregiver Team
  • West Campus Family Advisory Committee

Focus group and/or survey participant

Patients and/or families provide input from the customer's perspective on particular hospital projects or initiatives.

Material reviewer

Patients and/or families review documents such as educational materials, brochures or websites to ensure patient- and family-friendliness.

Sharing patient and family stories and experiences

Patients and families are invited to share their Texas Children’s stories (positive or negative). Experiences can be shared in writing, by video or in-person at different staff/leadership meetings or events.

Contact us

If you are interested in serving as a Texas Children’s Patient or Family Advisor, please submit a Family Advisor Application. For questions or additional information, contact the Department of Patient and Family Engagement at 832-822-1234 or pfengagement@texaschildrens.org.