There are tens of thousands of children that come through the doors of Le Bonheur Children's every year.  It seems mind boogling, when you stop to realize that each one of those children have their own unique perspective and experiences.  The great news is that these children have a group that serves as their voice:  The Le Bonheur Children's Teen Advisory Council!

The Teen Advisory Council is an advisory board for the hospital that provides insight to the concerns and interest of children impacted by Le Bonheur Children's.  To date, the group has given input on the new hospital layout, the teen room for the FedExFamilyHouse, the television channel lineup, and specific recipes served with patients.  Additionally, this group has served as advocates for children's health.  Members have appeared on educational videos providing perspective, spoken with various elected officials, and made their opinions known in the national conversation.  Even with all of the previous, I am only skimming the surface (not to mention I haven't talked about the fun stuff).

The board is comprised of single timers (a single admission), frequent fliers (lots of admissions), siblings, and "future" patients (lucky enough to not have to go to the hospital).  Why so many different areas?  Simply put, each "type" of member represents a different perspective to the children impacted by the hospital.  For instance, siblings can easily be forgotten when discussing how certain policies should be set up, but their view is different from that of the patient, giving a fuller view of the family.  Those members that are current and former patients represent units and service lines from across the hospital.  The members are between the ages of 12 - 18, and are not afraid to share their opinions (then again, what teenagers aren't).

I have had the pleasure of working with this group for the past several years and they amaze me with their insight and understanding of the hospital.  The work that they do is invaluable, and Le Bonheur Children's is a better place for it.

Over the course of working for Le Bonheur Children's, I've had the privilege of working with a good number of patients and families.  The more you work with them, the more you can believe that you "know" what they need from you (and the hospital for that matter).  However, Le Bonheur Children's is aware of this trap, which is why the hospital has embraced a culture of Patient- and Family-Centered Care.

Patient- and Family-Centered Care (PFCC) is an approach to healthcare that involves engaging patients and families as partners and  including them in decision making at all levels of the organization.  This philosophic approach covers everything from bedside care to setting hospital policy.  The Institute for Family-Centered Care says the following:

Patient- and family-centered care is an innovative approach to the planning, delivery, and evaluation of health care that is grounded in mutually beneficial partnerships among health care providers, patients, and families. Patient- and family-centered care applies to patients of all ages, and it may be practiced in any health care setting.

The Institute has a wonderful FAQ that I highly recommend reading.

Le Bonheur Children's has taken great steps to create an organizational culture that embraces patients and families as partners and values the wisdom, perspective, and experience they bring.  Two excellent examples of the hospital's commitment are the Family Partners Council and the Teen Advisory Council.  Both of the groups serve as advisory boards, giving leadership, input, and education on collaborating with physicians and staff to make a better-rounded experience for patients and families. Parents know their child better than anyone else does and not including them as part of the treatment team misses the mark.

It is amazing when you begin the journey and ask what it is that families need from us.  There are times that it is not easy to hear, because every children's hospital wants to believe it is completely committed to patients and families.  However, this feedback is not given as criticism, but instead in a loving spirit of improvement.  As the old saying goes, two heads are better than one.