Telemedicine: A Patient’s Point of View
Guest Blog: Submitted by Paula R. Freeman MA. This article was originally published in the July/August 2017 edition of Worcester Medicine. It's even more relevant in our post-pandemic world. I’ll admit it: I’m a chronic worrier. It’s an inherited...
The Financial Barrier to Patient Participation in Clinical Trials
Clinical trials may be the best option for millions of Americans diagnosed with cancer. They not only have the potential to boost and improve a patient's outcome, but they also help to advance medical research. However, some things are standing in...
Scanxiety is Real!
A few weeks ago, a dear friend reached out to me because she was very anxious about an upcoming CT scan & cancer screening. Although she has made it past the five-year mark and everything looks good, she was overcome with fear about the...
Medical Gaslighting: What Is It and What Can You Do About It?
The US dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster recently announced that their 2022 word of the year is "gaslighting" — or as Merriam-Webster defines it, "the act or practice of grossly misleading someone especially for one's own advantage." The term...
Never Go To A Medical Appointment Empty Handed
Originally published by A+J Patient Advocacy Before they enter the room, your doctor, nurse, or other care provider prepared for your visit. You, the patient, should be just as prepared. A visit with any health care provider should reflect a...
Going Beyond Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pink Ribbons
When you think of October what comes to mind? Pumpkins, corn mazes, ghosts, goblins and who can forget the much-anticipated pumpkin spice latte? Now, narrow it down and think about healthcare and the month of October. What comes to mind now? Pink...
A Plea to Patient Advocates
Why did you become a patient or health advocate? Chances are it was to help people who are sick, injured or just older, to get and stay healthy. To help them navigate the complex healthcare system. To help people understand their insurance policy...
September is Sepsis Awareness Month
Most, if not all of us, have heard the term Sepsis, but how many people really know what Sepsis is? September is Sepsis Awareness Month. Let’s take a deeper look at what sepsis is, who is at risk for sepsis, and how to recognize the signs and...
How to Start and Grow a Lucrative Patient Advocacy Business From Scratch
Are you a healthcare professional who is tired of feeling burned out? You're not alone. Many healthcare workers are feeling the pressure these days. But what if there was another way? What if you could start your own business and work from home...
The Discharge That Went From Bad to Worse
As a bedside nurse, one of the most rewarding, yet often the most frustrating aspects was always discharges. Let’s face it, when someone is admitted to the hospital, they are leaving one way or another. It makes sense then that discharge planning...
Psychiatry in Crisis: Are Patient Advocates Responding?
Written and submitted by GNA member, Avrom Fox It was a Thursday afternoon in late June. My phone rang, I picked up the call and listened to a woman telling me about a pressing need: A friend of hers from facebook was posting very alarming...
How to Interview a Physician
Medical history. Surgical history. Lists of medications and diagnoses. Family medical history. Height, weight, age. Address, phone number, emergency contact person. Insurance cards, co-pays, deductibles. Every time you visit a doctor, you are...
Children Need Independent Patient Advocates, Too
Every child with significant illness should have an independent patient advocate in addition to their informed and involved parents. Those who work in adult medicine are beginning to understand and embrace the concept of independent patient...
Attention Case Managers: Team Up With Independent Patient Advocates to Improve Outcomes
As a hospital-based Case Manager, you work extremely hard to coordinate care between physicians, community resources, DME providers and families. You coordinate with countless insurance plans. You solve problems and create solutions all day long...
Words of the Day, er, Night: Vice Clamp, and Kaleidoscope
Written and submitted by GNA advocate Nancy Ruffner Many of you may know me as or are sizing me up to be a visual person. Yep. Whenever I try to express situations and emotions, I begin to see objects representing the situations. I see material...