The Advisory Councils Transformed (ACT) Framework
Reimagining Engagement | Expanding Impact | Including Every Voice
The ACT Framework bridges the gap between patients, family caregivers, communities, and healthcare systems by turning people’s lived experience into actionable change.
Is your healthcare organization committed to partnering with people with lived-experience, but struggling to IMPACTFULLY engage a Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) or similar group?
You're not alone — and you're not behind.
ACT is here to help.
What is The ACT Framework for Patient & Family Engagement?
Implement inclusive lanes of engagement that better integrate lived-experience insights directly into improvement activities
Invite patients and families to participate in multiple ways rather than a one-size-fits all way of participating
Optimize the impact of organizational engagement resources
Meet regulatory mandates and requirements for Advisory Councils, while authentically establishing transformative partnerships
The ACT Framework is a human-centered design model developed with patient family partners, frontline staff, and state and federal partners. The model helps organizations:
Most importantly, The ACT Framework establishes more inclusive pathways for collaborating with historically underrepresented voices.
The ACT Framework
creates thriving Patient and Family Engagement by helping your organization…
Offer Patients and Families Multiple Lanes of Engagement:
Thought Partnership
Surveys & Interviews
Listening Sessions
Quality Improvement Initiatives
Co-Designing Programs
Health Equity Programming
Action Teams
Standing Advisory Councils
Operational Committees
Patient Safety Committees
Build Strong, Sustainable Infrastructure:
Dedicate an Engagement Lead
Support Self-Directed Engagement
Learn from Community Insights
Expand Co-Design and Partnerships
Integrate Engagement into Care Delivery
Connect with Your Community
Pro Tip: Honor community-defined priorities and elevate lived-experience leadership through shared decision-making.
Why did we create
The ACT Framework?
Traditional Advisory Councils often lack diverse representation and can have limited influence within an organization. It can feel like a burden instead of an enriching, collaborative experience. Oftentimes the participation of Patient Family Partners (PFPs) is siloed and limited making it harder to get important feedback from different voices.
The ACT Framework offers a flexible engagement approach that increases impact while optimizing staffing resources.
What our partners are saying about ACT…
“I think when we hear from our patients, it just makes our work more meaningful. And I think when you begin to make that connection, there's no going back - this is now part of what we do. And this is the way we're always going to want to do it.”
Miguel (Mike) Renteria, Director of Patient Experience at LA County Health Services
"Let patients design this. Don't bring them something to rubber stamp - they have to be part of the process. That was such a turning point for me, and I could never imagine designing anything without having patients and family at the table first."
Kim Werkmeister, Senior Vice President at Convergence Health
Who is this for? Who does this benefit?
Everyone who engages with our nation’s healthcare…but we specifically work with:
Hospitals and health systems
Policy makers
Health plans
Research teams
Rural health communities
Measure developers
Medicaid agencies
We provide technical assistance and guidance to any health care teams looking to create or improve their patient family engagement strategy. ACT helps you meet evolving CMS regulations like the Patient Safety Structural Measure (PSSM) that require patient and family engagement while building an inclusive engagement strategy that works.
Primary care practices
The ACT Framework — created by experts, guided by lived experience, and tailored to your organization's success.
The ACT Framework is a co-designed effort created by PFCCpartners, PFAnetwork members, State Hospital Association partners, front line staff members, and quality improvement professionals.
Let's elevate your patient engagement together!
Why Healthcare Leaders Choose PFCCPartners…
Ready to implement ACT now?
Join us in person Portland, Oregon at our Putting Care at the Center Conference this Oct 14-17!
Register for our FREE The ACT Framework Implementation Workshop on October 14th.
Partner with us today!
Get in touch with someone from PFCCpartners. We typically respond within 1-2 business days. We will never share your information.