Peer Support: Enhancing Care for Patients and their Families

Deborah L. Dokken, MPA

Coordinator for Patient and Family Partnerships, Institute for Patient and Family Centered Care
As an IPFCC staff member, Deborah serves as lead for IPFCC’s project, “The Study of New York Hospital PFACs and PFAs: Prevalence and Functioning.” In this role, Deborah led the development of a survey assessing the prevalence and functioning of PFACs across New York State, interviewed key informants, partnered with a research team to analyze survey and qualitative findings, and is lead author of the final report. She also serves on IPFCC’s project team that is a sub-contractor for the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative TCPI initiative. In this role, she interviews practices and develops profiles highlighting how practices are collaborating with PFACs and PFAs. read more

Joan Forte, BSN, MBA

Joan Forte’s nursing career spans more than 35 years. During that time she has practiced in many roles: clinician, teacher, manager, researcher, finance director, consultant and administrator.  Joan's greatest passion is building the partnership between providers, patients and families by strengthening all sides of the equation. While a Nurse Manager 20 years ago, Joan was a pioneer in the field when she co-founded the Family Centered Care Program at Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. In 2009, she initiated the Patient and Family Partner Program at Stanford’s adult hospital and developed the program to encompass 16 Patient and Family Advisory Councils, a Patient and Family Faculty Program, a Peer 2 Peer support program and over 150 Patient and Family Partners.  read more

Mary Minniti, BS, CPHQ

Senior Policy and Program Specialist, Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care
Mary Minniti is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality and has over 30 years experience in the field. She joined the Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care in 2011 and works as a Senior Policy and Program Specialist. She was lead author on a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded report, Individual and Family Engagement in the Medicaid Population: Emerging Best Practices and Recommendations and IPFCC’s publication: Essential Allies Patient, Resident, and Family Advisors: A Guide for Staff Liaisons. read more
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