Enlisting Families as Patient Safety Allies

Joe and Terry Graedon, hosts of a syndicated newspaper column and syndicated radio show, “The People's Pharmacy,” are active members of the Patient Safety/Quality Assurance Committee of the Duke University Health System Board of Directors. They were also appointed to the Duke University Health System Patient Advocacy Council to provide senior executives of the health system with a patient and patient-family perspective on all matters brought before the council. In this article, the Graedons share their views on the importance of including parents and families in clinical decision making so that they can actively participate as advocates for patient safety.

Keywords: family involvement, patient advocacy