UNC Health Care provides comprehensive primary care to a large population of North Carolina residents through a variety of locations, both on the campus at the health care system complex in Chapel Hill and in local surrounding communities. The UNC General Internal Medicine clinic at the Ambulatory Care Center is one of the academic primary care practices in the UNC Health Care system.
In 2013, representatives from across the UNC Health Care System joined together as a Primary Care Improvement Collaborative (PCIC) to enhance the patient experience and improve quality outcomes. The PCIC has emphasized the need to integrate the patient voice in primary care and specialty clinics throughout the UNC Health Care system, including through Patient Advisory Councils.
In addition, faced with below-goal satisfaction scores and high complaints, Internal Medicine identified the need to integrate the patient perspective. Consequently, clinic staff utilized models already in place in Family Medicine and UNC’s Cancer Hospital to establish its own Patient Advisory Council. Active since March 2014, the Council currently includes 9 patient partners and 4 providers and practice staff, including the Clinic Manager and one of the Internal Medicine Specialists.
