Laurie Gelb

MPH
Laurie

Laurie Gelb

MPH
Advocate Location
Seattle , WA 98125
Specialty
Medical Guidance
Other Services
Special Care & Aging
TeleAdvocacy Available
Offers FREE Initial Consultation
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*Greater National Advocates Terms of Use Apply
How I Can Help
I do not charge for ad hoc patient/caregiver advice; it is part of my volunteer contribution.

Having held senior roles in clinical settings, managed care, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and biotech, while drawing on degrees in philosophy and public health, I help identify and inform next steps, using the patient's own context, whether there are multiple choices or "no good options."
Important Information About Me
  • I offer a FREE Initial Consultation
  • I offer TeleAdvocacy Service
  • My geographical area of practice is Offer tele-advocacy worldwide
Why I Became A Professional Health Care Advocate
My husband was born with Marfan syndrome, acquired diabetes, and later died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In his final years, I left the job market to care for him. Our time together and of course the health care experiences that he had, inform my work.

At my first post-college job, at minimum wage in a busy hospital lobby, I began to realize the gap between expectations and reality in medicine. From there, I logged decades in health care, insurance, and manufacturer settings, helping to launch new drugs and medical devices, while also helping patients and clinicians make the best use of existing options. My roles spanned patient care and research operations, outcomes research, marketing, and education.

In each role, I tried to bring the "point of care" into the conference room. Now I also bring my conference room experiences to wherever health and life choices are framed and made.
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Formal Education
University of Texas, Master's degree in Public Health (MPH), 1990
University of Houston, BA, Philosophy & Business Administration, 1981
Faith Experience
  • Atheism
Additional Skills
Special expertise includes:
Optimizing settings for CPAP and BiPAP
Assistive technology options for people with sensory or mobility impairments
Mobility devices such as manual and power wheelchairs; patient lifts; hospital beds
Home health and end-of-life care that respect the patient's wishes and context

I am comfortable working within secular or religious worldviews, and am personally familiar with self-directed and assisted death.
Professional Affiliations
Board Certified Patient Advocate (certification inactive as of 2022)
Volunteer moderator, ALS Forums (alsforums.com), 2015 - present
Owner, alsguidance.org
Peer-reviewed clinical research publications and national presentations
Peer reviewer, various journals
Communication & Dissemination Research reviewer, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, Washington, DC, 2012, 2014
Past Board member, Puget Sound Research Forum and other organizations