Patient & Family Advisors

Reflective of our commitment to patient and family centered care, Winship Cancer Institute, as part of the Emory Healthcare system, invites patients and family members to collaborate with us as Patient & Family Advisors.

NOTE: Winship volunteer opportunities for patients and caregivers have been temporarily modified to a virtual experience in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Winship Patient & Family Advisors are current or former patients or family members of patients, who volunteer to improve patient care while providing a patient's perspective.

They work in partnership with Winship's leadership, staff, and physicians by participating on committees, focus groups, project teams, and other dedicated groups.

Our Winship Patient & Family Advisors currently serve at Winship Cancer Institute (Clifton campus) and Emory University Hospital Midtown with programs being developed at Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital and Emory Johns Creek Hospital.

Core Principles

As a patient and family-centered care facility aimed at collaborating with members of the care team, Winship and Emory Healthcare embraces the following core principles:

  • Dignity and Respect. Honoring patient and family perspectives and choices and incorporating their knowledge, values, beliefs and cultural backgrounds into the planning and delivery of care.
  • Information Sharing. Health care practitioners communicate and share complete and unbiased information with patients and families in a timely manner, enabling them to effectively participate in care and decision-making.
  • Participation. Patients and families are encouraged and supported in participating in care and decision-making at the level they choose.
  • Collaboration. Patients, families, health care practitioners, and health care leaders collaborate in policy and program development, implementation and evaluation; in health care facility design; and in professional education, as well as in the delivery of care.

Patient & Family Advisor Allison DelMedico serves on the Radiation Oncology Patient Satisfaction Committee.

What to Expect as a Patient & Family Advisor

Winship Patient & Family Advisors (PFAs) help us enrich the care experience for patients and families. They provide their experiences, perspectives, and expectations to aid the decision-making process while making the job of providing care an even more positive experience for our staff.

Winship PFAs may:

  • Review and develop patient education, policies, and marketing such as surveys, websites, videos, social media content.
  • Participate in focus groups, committees, and Rapid Improvement Events (RIEs).
  • Work with research design teams to implement patient and family centered projects.
  • Engage in quality, program, and facility improvement initiatives.
  • Take part in organizational or department specific advisory councils.
  • Perform public speaking to share patient and caregiver insights and stories, for example in new employee and physician orientations.

Join Us!

Turn your patient, family, or medical experience into a volunteer opportunity to help others by serving as a Winship Patient & Family Advisor.

If you are interested in volunteering as a Patient and Family Advisor, it is a three-step process:

  • Step 1: Complete and submit the online PFA application.
  • Step 2: Be interviewed by a PFA and a member of the Volunteer Services team to discuss your interest and background and to help you learn more about the program while helping us assess whether you are the right match for this role. Additional screening will include a background check.
  • Step 3: Attend online and in-house PFA Orientation, complete additional paperwork, and receive flu vaccine and T-spot.

Contact our Volunteer Services team via email with any questions.

Use buttons below to apply online and/or to download and print a detailed description of the Patient & Family Advisor role.

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