Patient & Family Partner Program: Disabilities

Mission, Vision, and Guiding Principles

The Disabilities Patient and Family Advisory Council’s (PFAC) mission is to increase disability awareness and build a culture focused on disability inclusion at Stanford Health Care. 

Comprised of patients and Stanford Health Care staff, the Disabilities PFAC was created to highlight the experiences of patients with complex intersecting life experiences in disability, race, gender, sexuality, and all-around diversity - perspectives that have been traditionally overlooked in medicine.

The Disabilities PFAC works to make equity actionable and health care an accessible, dignified, and equal experience for all who come to Stanford Health Care.  While this may seem like a lofty goal, all dreams accomplished started somewhere.  The PFAC seeks to be the driving force from which these future conversations and projects derive from.  All are welcome to join the PFAC and contribute to projects that emphasize equity and the human experience in health care.

Accomplishments

• Installed benches to create more accessibility in areas with longer walks for patients with mobility conditions.
• Advisor/consulting partnership with call boxes in parking lots and golf cart accessibility.
• Consulted on Atrium and disability friendliness.
• Published in the Stanford Medicine Radiology Diversity Newsletter: Vol 4. Issue 7 
• Raised awareness about the PFAC by sharing patient stories on living with disabilities through forums such as C-I-CARE Management Rounds.
• Created Voices in Disability to educate and share stories about disability culture.  Communication outlets include:
  • StoryCorps
    Created a new section dedicated to recruiting and sharing stories about patients with disabilities.
  • MyHealth
    Met with the MyHealth team to discuss tech accessibility from a disability perspective.
  • PFAC Outreach
    Attended other PFAC meetings to generate awareness about the new Disabilities PFAC. 
• Partnered with the Emergency Department PFAC, Cancer Center South Bay PFAC, and Cancer Center Palo Alto PFAC as accessibility consultants on up and coming projects.
• Invited groups to attend PFAC meetings to present projects and seek feedback from Disabilities PFAC members.
  • We Ask Because We Care steering committee 
  • Shelly Arthofer, Senior Program Manager, Patient Care Services 
  • Digital Health Team
• Participated in a 300P Renewal focus group to provide accessibility feedback for design on new Cancer hospital.