The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates Blog

Learn Something Every Day

5 minutes of reading / Leave a Comment / By Trisha Torrey

Dec 16 2013

Today I’m going to brag about my sister – to make a point. I expect it will embarrass her a little (no intention to do that) but she illustrates something very important – a good lesson for us all. Barbara (Torrey) Friedman, decided a few years ago (2010) that she’d like to learn a little something about photography. “A little something” has now become a skill that is, simply put, awe-inspiring. And yes, that’s a photo she took two days ago of a real snowflake, one of bazillions that fell in Ithaca, NY where she lives. Think about it. She …

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Insurance Reimbursements for Patient Advocates?

5 minutes of reading / Leave a Comment / By Trisha Torrey

woman examining insurance reimbursements

Dec 9 2013

This is one of those questions I’m asked frequently. It recently popped up again: When will private patient advocates be reimbursed by insurance? In fairness, the question is usually asked by those who either aren’t advocates, or are in the very early stages of thinking about patient advocacy as a way to make a living. They haven’t been exposed to the issues involved on a regular basis, so the obvious answers aren’t so readily apparent. But whether you’re a total newbie, or you’ve been dancing in advocacy circles for awhile, there are two answers, at least for now: > probably …

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Don’t Let the YesButs Stand in Your Way

3 minutes of reading / Leave a Comment / By Trisha Torrey

Dec 1 2013

This post is dedicated to all our APHA members and non-members who have been infested with YesButs. What’s a YesBut? A YesBut is the answer to all those questions and suggestions intended to help them build their practices that they prefer to not think about. Further, it’s the answer they give that, until these same advocates find a solution, indicates they will not succeed. I wish I had a dollar for every YesBut someone fires back at me! “YesBut they need the help so badly and they don’t have any money!” “YesBut I’m afraid to quit my fulltime job until …

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‘Tis the Season to Extend Your Outreach

3 minutes of reading / 2 Comments / By Trisha Torrey

Nov 24 2013

(Updated 2020 in the midst of the pandemic!) Who hires you to be their advocate? It’s rarely one person who decides to hire you. No matter who your usual target audiences are – seniors, the elderly, adult children, parents…. the answer today is that families and loved ones come together to consider hiring an advocate for a loved one when they recognize that loved one is having challenges related to their health and medical care. Spouse discusses the idea with sick spouse. Adult son discusses the idea with sister to hire an advocate for parent. Brother considers hiring an advocate …

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Riddle Me This – Then Take a Step Back

6 minutes of reading / 2 Comments / By Trisha Torrey

Nov 18 2013

You may have seen this riddle running around the internet: It’s 3:00 am. Your doorbell rings. Unexpected visitors! It’s long time friends, and they are hungry for some breakfast. You have strawberry jam, honey, wine, bread and cheese. So what is the first thing you open? Here’s one that’s similar, but is perhaps more appropriate for an audience of health advocates: It’s 3:00 am. Your doorbell rings. It’s your neighbors! One is clutching his chest and screams, I’ve been shot! The second one is holding her thigh and says, I’ve been shot, too! What’s the first thing you do? We’ll …

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What Patients Fear – The Waiter Will Spit in Their Soup

3 minutes of reading / Leave a Comment / By Trisha Torrey

Nov 10 2013

In the patient empowerment corner of my world, a complaint or fear I hear voiced by patients is the fear of retaliation. They are afraid that if they speak up to their doctors, or ask questions, or make their own decisions, then they will get substandard care. The provider will be so upset, he or she won’t provide what the patient really needs. I call this The Waiter Will Spit In My Soup Syndrome. I’ve never had a conversation with someone who can identify a time this actually happened to them – where they got care that wasn’t up to …

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Remember Cat’s Cradle? How to Use It to Build Your Advocacy Practice

4 minutes of reading / Leave a Comment / By Trisha Torrey

Nov 4 2013

Just back at my desk after the last of this Fall’s (2013) three APHA workshops, this one held in Los Angeles – another great experience meeting so many passionate, inspirational advocates and soon-to-be advocates…. As those who took the marketing workshop learned – one of the most important things we should do is to measure the effectiveness and client satisfaction of our work once it’s completed. To accomplish that, after each of the workshops, I surveyed attendees to see what they found most useful and to understand what didn’t work so well, too. The results: The answers varied. Many cited …

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