Trauma: Piecing The Puzzle Together
In December 2020, I presented a webinar within the Health and Patient Advocate community about working with complex mental health clients. What sparked the webinar's immediacy was that many of us have seen a dramatic increase in clients struggling...
Help! I can't get the care I need.
Tried to get an appointment with a specialist and got denied? Now what? Unfortunately, as a private patient advocate, I have heard this story all too often. You research and find a doctor that specializes in your condition, then you try to make an...
Although Common, Breast Cancer Requires a Personal Approach
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The American Cancer Association reports that aside from skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women. In 2020, over 325,000 new cases of breast cancer in the US are expected to be...
Elder Care: The Intersection of Multiple Industries
My client, Patty, reached out last spring with grave concerns about her 75-year-old sister, Caryn, who was living independently in Pennsylvania and who was exhibiting significant short-term memory issues. Patty was initially confounded about where...
How to Choose the Right Doctor: The "Babysitter" Mindset
You wouldn't want your babysitter to be distracted, frustrated, or inattentive while watching your children, would you? That's why it's important to think about choosing a physician the same way you would choose a babysitter or nanny for your...
Know How Your Diagnosis is Made So You Can Be Prepared
When you have an appointment with a new healthcare provider, be sure to bring your Health History with you. Bring a list of each medication you are on and their doses or the containers for each medication you are on, including any over-the-counter...
Protecting Our Babies From Hazardous Toxins
It is disturbing to learn how much ambivalence there is about the amount of chemicals and toxins that are absorbed through the skin and into our bodies from commonly used household and personal care products and cosmetics as well as exposure to...
Hints for Airline Travel in a Wheelchair
When advocating for my parents, I frequently come across a few issues with air travel. From ordering a wheelchair to going through security, I have learned to be as prepared as possible for unexpected hurdles. Preparing a to-do and reading...
Refusing Medical Care: Know Your Rights and the Consequences
When you are a patient in the health care setting it is important for you to realize that the members of your health care team have your best interests at heart. Your absolute safety and security is the ultimate goal of all patient care and the...
Home Safety and the Safety Assessment
Safety in the home is such a broad topic. Everything from fall risks to having operational locks on doors and windows, proper lighting, medication management, proper cooking, storage of food, and more. These non-medical items keep you safe and...
An Actual Letter to an Urgent Care Facility
This is an actual letter sent to an urgent care facility. I believe that if we all sent letters that consisted of constructive comments to help improve care, maybe one day, these "little" issues will be improved enough so care will be improved...
Overdose Awareness: Is it Really a Day?
I was sitting with a patient who was still groggy after surgery when the doctor said he would send her home with pain medication. The patient said “ok”. I asked the doctor if the pain medication was an opioid and he said it was. I knew the patient...
Thank You, I Feel Better Already
As an independent healthcare advocate what do I hear most often from new clients and families? “Thank you, I feel better already just knowing someone is on my side.” By the time a potential client reaches out to us they are usually at their wits...
Breaking Good: Could Walter White Have Been Saved By Patient Advocacy?
The series “Breaking Bad” kept TV audiences (including myself) enthralled with all the twists and turns—all fueled by the main character, Walter White, being diagnosed with terminal cancer that supposedly was only treatable...
No Place For Quitters on the Care Team
Don’t quit on my client. It may be emotionally healthy for a patient or the patient’s family to accept the diagnosis of a life-altering chronic disease. But from my perspective as a patient advocate, it is never healthy for a doctor to tell a...