Fool Me Once, Shame on You, But Fool Me Twice….

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From bold-faced lies to misrepresentation – facts that aren’t facts, withholding information, skirting the code of ethics, and shades of truth – honesty and the advocacy business have been on my mind. This topic was actually triggered by something that has nothing to do with advocacy at all, something that seems relatively innocuous, but then, maybe not-so-innocuous at all: the purchase of a 5-lb bag of sugar to bake holiday cookies last December. Now a 5-lb bag of sugar has always been a 5-lb bag of sugar and has yielded a certain number of batches of cookies. I’ve been buying …

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Let’s Play Jeopardy!

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Channeling Alex Trebec here? a few answers for you, with questions that may sound familiar? Most stem from real patients and caregivers who seek help getting what they need from the healthcare system. Your job is to figure out what the question is, then, hopefully, to act accordingly.

Physicians Buying In – Bring on the Patient Advocates!

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Posted in the APHA Discussion Forum by one of our member advocates, In the last week I have received calls from 2 potential clients whose physicians actually advised them to get a Patient Advocate! One was for medical insurance denials and the other was for patient navigation. It makes me really happy that physicians in my area are recognizing that we exist and can help their patients. Followed shortly thereafter by another advocate who observed, I know the clinicians I encounter learn to deeply appreciate my role-and, except for those who are dismissed, become more deeply engaged with my clients, …

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Breaking the Rules

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If you think about it, rule-breaking plays an enormous role in the life and work of a patient advocate. Rule breaking – is one reason (even if it’s not the only reasons) we exist – a problem we fight. One reason we are hired. Rule breaking – might be a success tactic – a way to win the fight. Rule breaking – is one of the major factors that separates private, individual professional advocates from our hospital and insurance counterparts – the distinction that often makes the difference to patient-clients’ outcomes.

Revisiting the Case of Farid Fata – Why Patient Advocates Must Take Notice

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In July 2015, we took a look at the case of Farid Fata, the Michigan oncologist who is now in prison on fraud charges because he diagnosed and treated more than 500 people for cancer they didn’t have, many of whom died. Yes – you read that right. You read the part about treating more than 500 people for cancer they didn’t have. And, I hope you caught the part that he is in prison on FRAUD charges – not murder, not manslaughter – nothing that recognizes the horrible physical condition he left those patients in after aggressive chemo and …

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How to Overcome the Biggest Challenge in Patient Advocacy Today

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Updated June 2018 Recently I was asked my opinion on the biggest challenges in patient advocacy as we turn the corner to 2016. I didn’t hesitate with my answer. I know exactly what those huge challenges are. So I shared my answer, which I’ll also share with you in a minute. As an individual, your answers might be slightly different from the ones I see. You might consider your biggest challenges to be recognition of the profession by potential clients, the ability to get people to pay for your services, the juggling of business as well as your advocacy work, …

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2016 State of Patient Advocacy and the Alliance of Professional Health Advocates

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Greetings in this new year 2016! I invite you to sit back, and picture yourself in that audience above as I provide you with a status report of sorts on the growth of the profession of patient advocacy as seen through the “eyes” of the AdvoConnection Directory, plus statistics from The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates, and how APHA plans to double down on support for the profession of health and patient advocacy during this coming year. The state of patient advocacy is: growing – but not fast enough! Just take a look at these statistics from the past three …

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