Patient Advocates Can Also Support Each Other
by Ilene Corina BCPA She / Her Are you a patient advocate? Are You Listening or Asking Questions? Whether you are professional or helping family and friends, you are probably a caring person - who wants to help others. It can be a difficult...
Selective Hearing = Selective Brain Stimulation?
When working as a Registered Nurse at the beginning of each shift as I updated the patient’s board I would think about the patient’s admitting diagnosis, history and current orders. For every patient, each day there is a standard goal. The goal...
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Patient Portals
Patient portals – give people access to their personal health information. Nearly 40% of Americans use their health records through a patient portal. Many, especially Gen Zs, who are typically technology literate, love patient portals due to...
Lessons Learned: The Benefits of Planning Ahead
My phone rang at 5:30 am The voice on the other end was frantic and desperate. Groggily, I collected my thoughts and tried to awaken. Do I typically answer client calls at 5:30 am? No, but this client's family member was experiencing a critical...
An Advocate's Guide to Cheaper Prescriptions
Americans spend more on prescription medications than anyone else. Pharmaceutical companies spend incredible amounts of money on development, marketing, etc. By the time new drug is approved, it's us....the patients who end up paying the price. As...
Feeling Stuck With Your Medical Care?
…New Year, new you! …This time it's for real. So it’s the new year and you feel, well… not so new. Maybe you feel like you're in a rut, or perhaps you have had a condition that you’ve been dealing with for a few years, for example, diabetes, and...
What To Do When You Need Treatment, But Insurance Won't Pay
So you're excited that after dealing with symptoms for some time and searching for a treatment, you and you have finally found treatment for your symptoms. Perhaps you have been suffering from back pain and have seen various doctors and...
The Empathy Gap: Revisiting the 90 Second Encounter
I recently watched a virtual screening of The Color of Care, a documentary highlighting the disparate and inequitable care received by Black and Brown individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the movie, Executive Producer Oprah Winfrey...
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...