“Health Advocate” vs “Patient Advocate”: 7 Reasons the Debate Is a Waste of Time

Although you may not realize it, there is a debate raging about titles in advocacy. I chose this topic today not because I have an opinion on THE right title; rather because I think the debate is a waste of time, and is a distraction from the more important work of helping people understand how advocates and care managers can help them. The debate is this: Should we be called Health Advocates? Or should we be called Patient Advocates? It might surprise you to know that some people not only have very definite opinions on the answer to that question, …

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Sleep Deprivation Spells Opportunity – and Responsibility

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Saturday night (well, OK, in the wee hours of Sunday morning) across most of the US and Canada, we “sprung forward” our clocks, resulting in lost sleep, and at least a day of being totally thrown off because the day seemed… well…. just weird. Since most of us don’t work on a Sunday, the day of adjustment helped us acclimate, and then – life goes on with a longer day of sunshine through next Fall. But what if you had to lose that sleep every few days, then re-acclimate every few days? What if you spent your life in a …

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Direct to Patients: Frank, Honest, and Motivational

In Marketing 101, we learn that we learn that it is imperative to accurately identify our target audiences, then , then develop motivational messages for them about the benefits of working with us. Find the right people. Share the right messages. The blog you’re reading right now does just that: it speaks to advocates and care managers (you! – the right people – our target audience of advocates, care managers, and those who wish to join our profession) to teach them something about their work, and to help them understand the benefits of connection with The Alliance of Professional Health …

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A Career, a Profession, and a Calling with Responsibility, Too

Most of us working as advocates apply the word “profession” to our work. Those who have been advocates for a longer period of time might tell you it has turned into a career. I often hear from new advocates, or those who wannabe advocates that they feel that this profession of advocacy (or what might evolve for them to a career of advocacy) is also a calling. So let’s look at that word “calling” for a minute. Merriam Webster tells us that a calling is: a strong inner impulse toward a particular course of action especially when accompanied by conviction …

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It’s That Time of the Year – Income Taxes! for You and Your Clients

(Updated March 2021) Note: this is a good post to bookmark (or “favorite”) so you can come back to it when it’s time to do your income taxes, or print it or send a link to clients and former clients to help them with theirs… Yes – it’s time to look at preparing our income tax statements for Uncle Sam (or even Justin Trudeau!) How does our paid work affect our income taxes or our clients’ taxes?

Nevertheless, We Persist

This isn’t intended to be a political statement, even if it has its roots in the political nastiness and vitriol taking place in the United States Congress. That said, perhaps it IS political. Except in this case, I’m referring to the politics of the healthcare system. You would have to be living under a rock to have missed what will become (at least) 2017’s battle cry for finding some balance and fairness in our world. As Elizabeth Warren spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives, she quoted Coretta Scott King to explain why she felt the Cabinet nominee …

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Can’t Decide?

Today’s post will be short and sweet (for a change.) It’s about making a decision. It applies to ALL decision-making processes. It popped up in the past week several times, in these scenarios: Conversation with an APHA PACE member. She could not decide whether to quit her job to start her practice. Conversation with an APHA Premium +ADL member. His potential new client could not decide whether to sign a contract with him. Conversation with a potential APHA member: She could not decide whether to join APHA or buy The Health Advocate’s Start and Grow Your Own Practice Handbook. Visiting …

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