client services

Aha! Finding Great Ideas to Inspire Your Practice

aha moment

At least a half dozen times in the past few weeks I’ve been asked what it was that compelled me to start The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates, and the AdvoConnection Directory. It occurs to me that even if you are a member, you may not know the story, or, even more importantly, how it can affect the work you do, too. The story is a classic “aha!” moment story – using experiences to identify a way forward – in this case, starting a new service and business. Some of you know that my two early careers were first, classroom …

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What Exactly is Independent Patient Advocacy? (Curious Minds Want to Know!)

reading CSA article

This post will be short(er) and sweet(er)than usual – because your time will be better spent reading something else – linked below. And here’s why: You may be familiar with CSA: The Society of Certified Senior Advisors. It’s a wonderful organization that not only teaches professionals the best practices of working with older adults, but then provides ongoing certification and education to be sure they stay current. APHA and CSA have been aligned and affiliated for more than a decade. (Not familiar? Learn more: www.CSA.us ) CSA publishes a print journal once per quarter – an award-winning journal of excellent, …

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Why Potential Clients Won’t Buy the Milk

Does this sound familiar? A prospective client calls to talk to you about helping her out. The story may vary, but the bottom line is that she is stuck and needs help from someone who can help her manage some aspect of the healthcare system. She thinks you might be that person. As part of your marketing, you offer a free consultation, which maybe takes place right then and there on the phone. Or maybe you make an appointment to meet with the potential client. Or perhaps you simply have a conversation whether it’s considered a free consultation or not…. …

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The Enemy of the Good – Getting Out of Your Own Way

beaver dam

I love sayings and metaphors. Those who are regular readers of this blog know that from previous posts. I so admire and respect people who just have a “way” of phrasing words to make concepts understandable, even those that are profound and important. I especially like it when I think they are right 🙂 One of the sayings I’ve cited in previous posts has been one that’s most often credited to Voltaire: Perfect is the enemy of the good. I’m going to show you how this saying fits advocacy, and how it can have a profound effect on your practice. …

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Burned Out? Leaving Medicine? Advocacy Might Be Right For You

exhausted medical worker

Understatement warning! (Like a spoiler alert only it’s no spoiler!) Burnout among medical professionals is huge right now. The COVID pandemic has caused exhausted healthcare professionals to suffer feelings of fear, frustration, anger, sadness, and the sense that each has lost control over his or her own life… As a result, many people who work in medical environments are looking for an alternative to the craziness. The question becomes… Is there something I can do for a living, a new profession I can choose, that allows me to take advantage of my health and medical education and experience while I …

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Marketing the Pivot: Getting Our Clients Back into Their Health Groove

vinyl record grooves

As we all know, the pandemic has thrown so much of life into a tailspin! We’re constantly reminded that in order to get our lives back, we must pivot. We’re all resetting our personal lives. We’re resetting our work lives, too, as more and more of us (and the rest of our worlds) are getting vaccinated, and are opening up. After a year of pivoting in one direction, we’re now having to pivot again – back to, or into our new normal. As smart advocates and care managers, we must also remember this is true for our clients, too. For …

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Just What Does It Take to Be a Successful Patient Advocate?

strong and self-confident

I heard recently from a woman who represents many of you. Specifically, she wanted to know whether she could be successful if she committed herself to advocacy. She isn’t sure if she knows enough to be able to handle every client situation that comes her way. She wanted a pep talk. She wanted me to convince her that she knows enough. Yes, it was time to invoke one of my favorite quotations, provided to us by Henry Ford of Model “T” fame: “If you think you can do a thing, or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” The …

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