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Certified Patient or Health Advocate? Here we Go Again

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Do you consider yourself a Certified Patient Advocate or Certified Health Advocate? I hate to burst bubbles here, but no matter who you are, or what courses or programs you have taken, no matter who or what handed you a certificate at the end, you are not a certified advocate. Why? Because there is no such thing as certification for patient advocates or health advocates. Period. Those of you who have been reading this blog for any length of time have heard this tune – many times – before. Some of you, realizing that you may be doing yourselves and […]

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And a Great Time, and Some Great Learning, Was Had by All

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My head is still spinning from our Business and Marketing Workshop Experience in Chicago over the weekend. While I’ve already told you how United Airlines tried to ruin the experience for me, I don’t want that to overshadow the real outcome of the weekend; that is, that about 25 of us got together for 1-1/2 days of EXCELLENCE. My measurement of EXCELLENCE comes from attendee comments, but even more so from the things I learned along the way, too. It’s the interaction, the connections, and the shared learning that comprise my definition of excellence. Observations and comments:

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Flying the Not-So-Friendly Skies Can Teach Us All a Lesson

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If I never fly United Airlines again, it will be too soon. They have violated my trust over and over again. And I can’t be the only one. It’s a miracle they stay in business. And as I went into hour #7 of my frustration with them yesterday, I realized that private patient advocates can actually learn from my latest United Odyssey. Here’s the story: I can be found on anywhere from 30 to 50 flights in any given year, depending my speaking engagements and other consulting work. In general, airline customer service really tanked around 2008, except for Jet

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What Private Patient Advocates Can Learn from Paula Deen*

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Hey y’all! If someone had asked you on the June 20, 2013 to describe Paula Deen, you might have described her as a bubbly, vivacious, popular Food Network star, author, well-merchandised cook or chef. Whether or not you liked her, and no matter what you thought of her approach to food, you at least had to admire her empire and popularity. Over the next week, her empire collapsed, seemingly because she fessed up to using the N-word during a lawsuit deposition.* The bigger they are, the harder they fall. It makes no difference whether or not Deen’s fall was fair

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Ticked Off Applicants Help Us Clarify the Mission

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(Updated February 2019) Since the first of the year, we’ve had a record number of applications for membership in the Alliance of Professional Health Advocates (APHA), in particular those who want to be included in the AdvoConnection Directory. You may know that we have two kinds of memberships: PACE memberships for those who are just beginning to plan for a private advocacy practice (and who do not appear in the directory.) And Premium memberships for those who are preparing to be listed in the AdvoConnection Directory by patients or caregivers who are looking for help. It may surprise you to

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Bring It On! Forum Fireworks Erupt Again

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One of the most valuable resources any profession has is access to other people who are also invested in the interests of that profession. The internet and social media, of course, provide an opportunity to access this valuable resource on a global scale. … Which means that participants, including professionals and the people who are striving to join their professional ranks, come from a variety of backgrounds and attitudes, environments, personalities and life views. Now, mix that together with a specific profession – patient advocacy – where its proponents are highly passionate about their work. Add a dash of mixed

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An Advocate’s Allegiance Makes All the Difference

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Just in the past week alone, I’ve been asked three times why someone would hire a private patient advocate when there are so many other forms of help available. What other forms would those be? A variety: hospital patients can call on the hospital’s patient advocate for help cancer patients find navigators to help them through treatment insurance customers can call their customer service rep, or even an insurance company patient advocate a newly diagnosed patient can often find that large disease advocacy organizations, like the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society or the American Diabetes Association, will provide an advocate to

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