The Patient Advisory Council (PAC) organizes into various task forces to achieve the goals of the group. The leads of each task force help manage projects which all PAC members can participate on. Task forces allow the PAC to ensure each component of business is taken care of in an efficient, collaborative fashion.
Please click on a task force below to view a description and additional information. If you decide to join the PAC, you will have the opportunity to work on projects managed by these task forces.
The Advocacy task force works on various projects that serve to raise awareness and support for kids with IBD. These projects often make changes to patient care and patient support.
Some Past Projects:
Ostomy Toolkit: PAC members assembled a compilation of resources for patients with ostomies. Each member who contributed had some kind of experience with an ostomy which made for a valuable perspective. This resource includes things like: what to wear; playing sports with an ostomy; and choosing the right type of bag for you.
Body Image Toolkit: PAC members assembled stories and comments about members’ experiences with Body Image and IBD. Topics include NG Tubes, weight gain/loss and scars.
IBD Storybook: PAC members wrote about their lives with IBD in this resource. Perfect for newly diagnosed patients, the IBD Storybook helps IBD patients identify with other patients encountering similar obstacles.
The Communications task force work to raise awareness for the PAC and ImproveCareNow via social media. The PAC is active on Twitter, Instagram & Snapchat (follow @ICNPatients). When the PAC is visible on social media, it raises awareness for who the PAC is and how to get involved. PAC members also regularly contribute to ImproveCareNow’s blog, LOOP.
Past Projects:
@ICNPatients: The PAC is on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat to raise awareness. ImproveCareNow is very active on social media, which allows us to interact with the Network and with staff at each of ImproveCareNow’s 100+ centers. It also helps increase the PAC’s visibility, which extends the reach and impact of the group.
A Year in Review: A blog post is also written at the end of the year to summarize what the PAC has accomplished. This is a good recruitment tool for the PAC as it can be sent to prospective members to demonstrate what the PAC is capable of achieving.
The Recruitment and Engagement task force works to recruit new members and support their transition into the PAC. The responsibilities include aiding new members through the onboarding process and encouraging continued engagement of members.
Past Projects:
New member blog posts: When new members join the PAC, the recruitment task force coordinates with the new member to write a blog post highlighting who they are in the PAC and introducing them to the network (see past entries on LOOP).