What is a Patient Advisor?
The role of a Patient Advisor is to work in partnership with the hospital to create a truly patient and family centered care environment and experience. Patient and family centered care is an approach to the planning, delivery and evaluation of health care that is grounded in mutually beneficial partnerships among patients, families and health care providers.
Patient Advisors provide important perspectives and have a direct impact across a wide range of hospital initiatives, programs, services and policies to improve the experience of care.
Patient Advisors participate in ways that best match their interest, experience and availability.
Time commitment
Varies with projects and programs – approximately four hours per month. Please note Patient Advisors can participate and continue to work with Brightshores virtually during the pandemic.
Parking
Parking passes will be provided.
Who can be a Patient Advisor?
You can be a Patient Advisor if you or a family member has received care from Brightshores in the past two years. You do not need any special qualifications to be an advisor. Your experience as a patient, or family member of a patient, is what is most important. We will provide you with any other training you may need.
Qualities of a Patient Advisor
- A passion for enhancing the health care experience for patients and families
- Ability to share insights and information about their experiences to help evolve programs, services and hospital priorities
- Ability to be an active listener
- Respect for other people’s opinions and perspectives
- Shares thoughts and opinions in a group setting
- Shares insights and information about their experiences
- Interacts well in group settings
- Possesses a positive approach to problem solving and a desire to find solutions
- Able to dedicate a minimum of four hours per month to volunteering
- Ability to maintain confidentiality of patient and organizational information
Previous Patient Advisor Projects
- Providing feedback on the Mental Health Crisis Support Program
- Making suggestions and providing input on signage around the hospital
- Assisting with the creation and distribution of patient and visitor handouts
- Strategizing to promote communication improvements
- Development of Family Presence and Visiting Hours policy
- Contributing towards the annual Brightshores Quality Improvement Plan
Becoming a Patient Advisor
To become a Brightshores Patient Advisor, you must fill out and submit a Volunteer Application Form, which you can access here. Once you have submitted your application, a Brightshores staff member will contact you for an interview.
If you have any questions related to the application, please contact:
Brightshores Volunteer Resources
(519) 376-2121, Ext. 2886
Patient Advisor Testimonials
“As a patient or family member, you look at health care from a very unique perspective. Patient advisors are often the bridge between Patients, their Families and the Staff of the hospital. Working together as a team, we create best practice and best outcomes for all. The role of a Patient Advisor for me has been a very unique, satisfying and worthy one.”
-Carol Reaney, Brightshores Patient Advisor
“Volunteering as a Patient Advisor at Brightshores Health System has been a rewarding experience for me in many ways. In 2016, I joined the first Advisor Group. The first step involved extensive training to orient ourselves with the organization. After the training was complete, the group was invited to attend meetings with staff to provide our feedback. Having input from the patient perspective has always been welcomed and highly valued by the Brightshores team. When the needs of patients and their families are used to help guide the decision making process at Brightshores, the overall patient experience improves. I plan to continue participating as a Patient Advisor at Brightshores and look forward to our next project.”
–Karen Garvie, Brightshores Patient Advisor