The Adolescent Leadership Council (TALC) at Hasbro Children's Hospital

Hasbro Children's Hospital’s Youth Advisory Council was formed to serve as a voice for patients within the hospital system. The council consists of approximately 20 adolescents who receive or have received treatment at Hasbro Children's Hospital on an inpatient or outpatient basis.

Goals of the Youth Advisory Council

The council's goals are to:

Empower patients and their families to partner with health care teams and staff throughout their treatment and hospitalization.
Provide a voice for young patients to relate their health care experience within the hospital system.
Educate providers, to ensure the most comfortable, effective and engaging experience is provided to young patients.

Addressing Communication between Patients and Their Providers

One of the major issues raised by the youth advisory council was the need to improve communication between patients and their providers.

To address this issue, the first project the youth advisory council undertook was the creation of a series of three booklets, directed at patients, parents and providers to guide each through the process of diagnosis and treatment at Hasbro Children's Hospital, while facilitating effective communication between the young patients, their parents and the doctors.