Getting Your Clients Past Magical Thinking

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Today’s post is very personal, reflecting a situation I believe many families go through, brought on by any number of attitudes and fears. I’m hoping that by sharing it, you can find a role for your advocacy work; a way to help families who need someone to provide a reality check. It’s about providing a gift to some of your patients and their families – in effect, giving them permission to say no to further treatment. As I thought about the situation, I remembered back many years ago when my mother, who at the time was in her 10th year …

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What’s a Bad Outcome? And Where Does the Fault Lie?

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Scenario: Joan, age 75, living in Ft. Lauderdale, was diagnosed with Stage IV Ovarian Cancer. Joan’s daughter, Beth, who lives in Kansas, contacts Maxine, a private patient advocate and RN who works in Ft. Lauderdale, to help her mother. Joan, Beth and Maxine have extensive conversations about the care Joan will need. The decision is made that Joan will need surgery and chemo. Maxine is hired to oversee the care since Beth lives so far away. The surgery goes well. The hospital stay is typical. Joan is discharged from the hospital, but three days later begins to show signs of …

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Just How Many Patient Advocates Are There?

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One of our AdvoConnection members asked me the question a few weeks ago: How many patient advocates do I think there are? I’ve got some educated guesses. But there are actually three parts to the question. Just trying to figure out how many there are is only the first part. Figuring out the trends is also important. And figuring out who can actually help patients in the ways they need help is the other. Here are the answers I gave her. See what you think. Add or subtract. Change direction. Whatever you think…. because you and your role are found …

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Setting New Standards for a New Profession – Your Chance to Help

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As announced to AdvoConnection’s members last week, we have been working on a prescribed process for advocates who find it necessary to terminate their work with a client – in effect, to “divorce” that client, professionally, legally, and with the least amount of difficulty for both parties. (Members will find access to that protocol in this coming week’s Monday Member Mail.) One step in the process is the recommendation about sharing the notes you’ve kept with the client you’re divorcing, and the question about whether or not you, as the professional patient advocate, should be keeping those notes after you …

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More on the Paralysis of Analysis – It’s All About the “M” Words

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Last week’s post about Paralysis of Analysis – a situation that many almost-professional private patient advocates find themselves in – those who hesitate to take that last step – the step of reaching out to new people and asking for payment for their services – the switch from volunteer (I can do this, I’ve done it dozens of times before) to paid professional, in business, make no excuses, doin’ it for a living paid patient advocacy…. It really struck a nerve. One advocate wrote and asked whether I’d been reading her diary. Another said she felt like Robert DeNiro in …

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Recognizing Private Professional Patient Advocates

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This is it! Private Professional Patient Advocate Week (PPPAW)? is recognized this week, March 11 to 17, 2012. It’s a time to help patients and caregivers learn the many ways they can benefit from the assistance of private patient and health advocates and navigators. This year there are 21 people participating as featured advocates on the special website developed for them. They have shared stories about their successes, and we invite media to contact them and interview not only these fine advocates, but the patients and caregivers they have helped, too. A sample of stories: A man who contacted one …

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The 2012 Schueler Patient Advocacy Compass Award Winner Is…

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Announcing the 2012 winner* of the Schueler Patient Advocacy Compass Award… Elisabeth Russell of Patient Navigator in Vienna, Virginia. Congratulations Elisabeth! Elisabeth was the unanimous choice of the selection committee – although – the choice was not an easy one to make. All applicants were outstanding examples of excellence in their service to their clients. Competition was stiff. There were no wrong choices. A few excerpts from Elisabeth’s application: Patient Empowerment: Patient-empowerment is the reason I wrote the series of “Roadmaps” that is available on my website. They are self-contained guides in the areas of Medical Management, Advocacy and Patient …

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