Become a Patient and Family Advisor

At Brockville General, we know that patients, families, and caregivers play an important role in helping us deliver the best possible care. Your experiences and insights help shape how we design our programs, services, and policies. By becoming a Patient and Family Advisor, you can make a meaningful difference in improving the care experience for everyone who comes through our doors.

What is a Patient and Family Advisor?

A Patient and Family Advisor is someone who works closely with the hospital to share their experience as a patient, family member, or caregiver to help guide planning and decision‑making at the hospital. Advisors make sure the voices of patients and families are heard and reflected in the way we plan and provide care. 

Who can be an Advisor?

You may be a great fit if you,

• Have had a recent care experience at Brockville General (within the last 3 years), either as a patient or as a family member or caregiver.
• Are interested in working with us on short‑ or long‑term projects, committees, Program Councils, or the Patient and Family Advisory Council.
• Want to share feedback based on your care experience to help us learn and improve.
• Can volunteer 1–4 hours per month.

Patient and Family Advisors work alongside hospital staff and leaders to help create a strong patient‑ and family‑centered care environment.

A note about the role

The role of a Patient and Family Advisor—and of the Patient and Family Advisory Council—is to work together with the hospital on programs, policies, and projects that help improve the experience of all patients, caregivers, and families.

We value the experience and perspective you bring. As an Advisor, your role is to help us look at the bigger picture and share insights that can make care better for everyone.

Because of this, the Advisor role is focused on advising. It is not a role for advocating for individual concerns or personal situations.

You don’t need any special training or qualifications to become a Patient and Family Advisor. What matters most is your interest in helping improve care for others. Many people enjoy and succeed in this role if they,

• Feel comfortable sharing ideas and suggestions that could help improve the care experience for patients and families.
• Can reflect on their own care experience—whether positive or difficult—and think about how it may relate to the experiences of others.
• Are able to talk about what worked well and what could have been better in a respectful and helpful way.
• Enjoy working with people from different backgrounds, knowing that different viewpoints make discussions stronger.
• Can listen to others’ ideas, even when they are different from your own.
• Bring a positive, open, and team‑focused attitude to conversations and problem‑solving.
• Understand the importance of confidentiality and are committed to keeping shared information private.

The Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) is a group of patients, family members, caregivers, and hospital staff who work together to improve the care experience at Brockville General. Members use their own experiences to offer feedback, ideas, and guidance on programs, policies, and projects that affect patients and families.

A Patient and Family Advisor is a full, equal member of PFAC. Advisors share their perspectives as past patients, family members, or caregivers to help ensure hospital decisions reflect what really matters to the people receiving care. The Advisor role focuses on advising on big‑picture improvements, not advocating for individual concerns.

PFAC helps the hospital better understand patient and family needs, finds opportunities to improve care, and supports patient‑ and family‑centered care across the organization.

PFAC meetings are held once per month.

Along with our Program Councils and Committee's, we are building a team of Patient and Family Advisors who help make sure patient and family voices are included in everything we do. These Advisors also make a difference in many ways, such as:

Sharing your story

Helping staff, physicians, and leaders understand what care is like from a patient or family point of view by talking about your own experiences and having them recorded for educational purposes.

Improving education materials

Looking at or helping create patient‑friendly resources—like handouts, forms, and instructions—to make information clearer and easier to understand.

Participating in discussion groups

Joining conversations about what it’s like to receive care at our hospital and sharing ideas about how we can improve our services.

Partnering on projects

Working with different hospital teams on projects that affect the patient experience and help improve how care is delivered.

Compliments and concerns can be shared by contacting the Patient Relations Office by email or by phone at 613-345-5649 ext. 51287