Declaring Independence: Join The Patient Advocacy Revolution
As we hunker down and isolate during an otherwise celebratory holiday, it’s the perfect time for Independent Patient Advocates to reflect on our own history. For many of us, it was a horrific personal healthcare experience that inspired action. For others, it was the cumulative frustration of working within the system that prompted a career change. Regardless of the reason, we've been fighting on behalf of patients for decades and it is our collective mission to advocate for those lost in a system that leaves them vulnerable, afraid, and helpless.
History teaches us without question that change happens when there is strength and unity behind a cause. That's the purpose of GNA. We want to unite the entire Patient Advocacy profession and become a force to be reckoned with.
The 4th of July holiday is different this year and it's a direct result of our troubled health system. It's therefore timely and appropriate for us, as advocates for patients, to recognize that we're not alone in our struggle for independence. In fact, maybe we can learn from the past in order to advance our own aspirations.
The Power of The Written Word
Before the U.S. Constitution was ratified, it needed to be sold to the people. A select few of our founders became advocates for independence. They wrote extensively and persuasively and began to explain to the masses what a free, independent country would look like and how it would work. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay started writing articles, publishing and distributing them everywhere. They were detailed arguments in favor of separation from England and they are known today as the Federalist Papers.
When Madison, Hamilton, and Jay set out to influence the population, they really had to sell it. And that's exactly what we have to do if we want to improve the healthcare of patients in this country.
The Federalist Papers (85 in total) were a series of thoughful, well-reasoned essays that advocated for a new form of government, independent and free from tyranny. In essence, the Federalist Papers were the blogs of the day and the drafters made excellent use of the written word to promote their views and ideas to influence change that resulted in a dramatic and enduring document.
It's never an easy undertaking to change an entire system of government. Just as it's not easy to change healthcare for the benefit of patients. So when Madison, Hamilton, and Jay set out to influence the population, they really had to sell it. And that's exactly what we have to do if we want to improve the healthcare of patients in this country.
That's why I'm using this opportunity to encourage every single Independent Patient or Healthcare Advocate to get involved and make your voice heard. The mission of Greater National Advocates is to get the word out to the public that independent advocates exist. In order to help accomplish that goal, we've created a platform that allows members (and guests) to submit blogs that are blasted out to patients, familes, and loved ones across the country.
If you haven't already done so, please check out the Greater National Advocates Blogs and Advocacy News section here>> GNA Blogs.
JOIN, or (others may) DIE
The Federalist Papers were a public relations campaign designed to educate the general population of the colonies about the importance of independence and that it was worth fighting for. But in addition to circulating written material about the importance of independence, our founding fathers also encouraged memberhip in the new union. A 1754 Benjamin Franklin cutout was adopted as a slogan for colonial unity against an oppressive system.
History teaches us without question that change happens when there is strength and unity behind a cause. That's the purpose of GNA. We want to unite the entire Patient Advocacy profession and become a force to be reckoned with. By increasing our numbers and making ourselves known, we can tackle the issues that affect the profession of Independent Patient Advocacy and the patients and loved ones we serve.
If you’re a patient advocate but you’re not listed in our national directory, please do it now. It's Important. It's easy. And it's free.>> Join and Get Listed.
