About the Patient Engaged Research Center (PERC)

What is PERC?

PERC stands for the Patient-Engaged Research Center, a team dedicated to improving the way Henry Ford delivers patient care and treatment of diseases. PERC is a relatively new category of research using “real life” feedback that involve patients and their families.

Background Information

In 2014, Henry Ford Health was one of only a handful of organizations across the country chosen to participate in a groundbreaking research study to improve the outcomes of patients.
Now, Henry Ford Patient Engaged Research Center (PERC) transforms research results into evidence based medicine with the patient’s perspective at the center of this change. The program works with patient and clinical advisors to conduct research and clinical improvement that is meaningful to the community in which they reside to help transform the way Henry Ford provides care.

Working with patients and families as advisors at the organizational level is a critical part of improving the way Henry Ford delivers care and utilizes the perspectives of patients and families directly into the planning, delivery, and evaluation of care.

Why does Henry Ford have Patient/Family Advisors?

Henry Ford partners with Patient/Family Advisors to help provide better quality of care to all patients and their families. By getting feedback directly from patients we are able to discover what matters to you and apply these learnings at our hospitals and medical centers. Whether it is a new approach in disease prevention or treatment, or developing our patient promise we value our patient’s experiences. Through unique perspectives, patient/family advisors give input on issues that impact care, ensuring that the next patient or family member’s journey is easier.

PERC Efforts

• PERC assesses the benefits and harms of preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic, palliative, or health delivery system interventions to inform decision making; highlighting comparisons and outcomes that matter to people
• PERC is inclusive of an individual’s preferences, autonomy and needs, focusing on outcomes that people notice and care about such as survival, function, symptoms, and health related quality of life
• PERC incorporates a wide variety of settings and diversity of participants to address individual differences and barriers to implementation and dissemination
• PERC investigates optimizing outcomes while addressing burden to individuals, availability of services, technology, and personnel, and other stakeholder perspectives

Find out more about the program we offer:

• Learn more about our Patient Advisor Program
• Apply to become a Patient Advisor
• Meet our PERC Team
• Read our PERC Newsletters