| by Rebeka Acosta

Even Health Advocates Need Help

A+J Patient Advocacy's Executive Director is a private person, but regularly uses her personal experiences to connect with clients. In this post, Rebeka Acosta provides a glimpse into her chronic illness journey and proves that no patient has all...
| by Corina Savela

How I Know Preventive Health Care Works

Many of us have pets. My dogs receive a preventive medication each month for heartworms. This is easy and it prevents bigger problems later (at great expense financially and physically for the dog). I am here to explain how that same preventative...
| by GNA Admin

Patient Advocates Can Also Support Each Other

by Ilene Corina BCPA She / Her Are you a patient advocate? Are You Listening or Asking Questions? Whether you are professional or helping family and friends, you are probably a caring person - who wants to help others. It can be a difficult...
| by Sheldon Britt

Selective Hearing = Selective Brain Stimulation?

When working as a Registered Nurse at the beginning of each shift as I updated the patient’s board I would think about the patient’s admitting diagnosis, history and current orders. For every patient, each day there is a standard goal. The goal...
| by Angie Galatas

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Patient Portals

Patient portals – give people access to their personal health information. Nearly 40% of Americans use their health records through a patient portal. Many, especially Gen Zs, who are typically technology literate, love patient portals due to their...
| by Angie Galatas

Lessons Learned: The Benefits of Planning Ahead

My phone rang at 5:30 am The voice on the other end was frantic and desperate. Groggily, I collected my thoughts and tried to awaken. Do I typically answer client calls at 5:30 am? No, but this client's family member was experiencing a critical...
| by Rebeka Acosta

An Advocate's Guide to Cheaper Prescriptions

Americans spend more on prescription medications than anyone else. Pharmaceutical companies spend incredible amounts of money on development, marketing, etc. By the time new drug is approved, it's us....the patients who end up paying the price. As...
| by Dr Elena Borrelli

Feeling Stuck With Your Medical Care?

…New Year, new you! …This time it's for real. So it’s the new year and you feel, well… not so new. Maybe you feel like you're in a rut, or perhaps you have had a condition that you’ve been dealing with for a few years, for example, diabetes, and...
| by Dr Elena Borrelli

What To Do When You Need Treatment, But Insurance Won't Pay

So you're excited that after dealing with symptoms for some time and searching for a treatment, you and you have finally found treatment for your symptoms. Perhaps you have been suffering from back pain and have seen various doctors and...
| by Nicole Rochester

The Empathy Gap: Revisiting the 90 Second Encounter

I recently watched a virtual screening of The Color of Care, a documentary highlighting the disparate and inequitable care received by Black and Brown individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the movie, Executive Producer Oprah Winfrey...
| by GNA Admin

Telemedicine: A Patient’s Point of View

Guest Blog: Submitted by Paula R. Freeman MA. This article was originally published in the July/August 2017 edition of Worcester Medicine. It's even more relevant in our post-pandemic world. I’ll admit it: I’m a chronic worrier. It’s an inherited...
| by Talaya Dendy

The Financial Barrier to Patient Participation in Clinical Trials

Clinical trials may be the best option for millions of Americans diagnosed with cancer. They not only have the potential to boost and improve a patient's outcome, but they also help to advance medical research. However, some things are standing in...
| by Talaya Dendy

Scanxiety is Real!

A few weeks ago, a dear friend reached out to me because she was very anxious about an upcoming CT scan & cancer screening. Although she has made it past the five-year mark and everything looks good, she was overcome with fear about the...
| by Kristy Dalechek-Shell

Medical Gaslighting: What Is It and What Can You Do About It?

The US dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster recently announced that their 2022 word of the year is "gaslighting" — or as Merriam-Webster defines it, "the act or practice of grossly misleading someone especially for one's own advantage." The term...
| by Rebeka Acosta

Never Go To A Medical Appointment Empty Handed

Originally published by A+J Patient Advocacy Before they enter the room, your doctor, nurse, or other care provider prepared for your visit. You, the patient, should be just as prepared. A visit with any health care provider should reflect a...