Including patients, families, caregivers, and communities in transforming the U.S. healthcare system is critical. Healthcare organizations often struggle to effectively engage these crucial voices in their improvement efforts due to limited experience, time, or resources.
ATW Health Solutions offers expertise in developing and managing patient and family engagement (PFE) and community engagement strategies. The ATW Health Solutions team includes professionals, subject matter experts, and a dedicated advocate with lived experience who have:

• Established a diverse patient and consumer network with over 3,000 active members
• Designed, implemented, and evaluated engagement plans for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and other programs
• Supported national measurement research and development
  Engaged patients, families, and caregivers in research and quality improvement initiatives
• Created more than 40 Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFACs) for hospitals and health systems
• Placed over 500 patients, consumers, and community representatives on national healthcare projects
  
  
  

The impact of patient, family, and community engagement on healthcare quality and safety outcomes is supported by data. ATW Health Solutions contributed to government improvement projects like the CMS Partnership for Patients (PfP) and Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative (TCPI), which served thousands of hospitals and clinicians. Their research found that hospitals incorporating patient and family voices into their improvement efforts had better healthcare outcomes, including lower rates of falls with injury and 30-day readmissions.

Community engagement initiatives, like the Community Engagement for Early Recognition and Immediate Action in Stroke (CEERIAS), demonstrate the positive impact of engagement on at-risk populations. ATW Health Solutions partnered with academic health systems to improve stroke outcomes in Chicago by developing educational programs and increasing early ED arrivals.

ATW Health Solutions’ engagement strategies focus on co-designed approaches, content, communications, and interventions. ATW Health Solutions offers a data and evidence-based approach for organizations looking to improve engagement and equity. Their team understands the science of engagement and equity and includes a full-time patient advocate with lived experience.

The Patient Partner Innovation Community (PPIC) is a virtual network of patients, caregivers, and advocates actively collaborating to improve patient experiences. PPIC members work with healthcare organizations and have access to over 200 Patient and Family Advisory Councils (PFACs) nationwide.

ATW Health Solutions offers the Patient Development Accelerator (PDAccelerator) to help organizations recruit diverse patients and involve them in advisory panels and research.
Their community and patient engagement program aims to partner healthcare professionals with patients and community members to gain insights and improve healthcare outcomes.

A PFE strategy can benefit organizations by:

• Translating healthcare promotions into public service messages that are understood by all
• Improving access to patient appointments
• Enhancing patient safety by reducing falls and medical errors
• Redesigning hospital layouts to minimize errors
• Increasing patient satisfaction and reducing complaints
• Having a therapeutic effect on patients volunteering in PFACs
• Raising awareness of the patient perspective for patient-centered care