… Isn’t through osmosis! Once again I’ve heard from a newly launched advocate asking me “why can’t I find any clients?” It’s not unlike others who have asked that same question, or ...
https://aphablog.com/2022/03/11/the-best-way-to-find-new-clients/
My social media of choice is Twitter. I’ve been a “Tweep” since 2008, although that includes years of no Twitter during the craziness of politics and elections when I find my blood pressure...
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 occu...
https://aphablog.com/2022/01/30/how-aha-moments-build-businesses/
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...
https://aphablog.com/2021/09/06/the-enemy-of-the-good-getting-out-of-your-own-way/
Now that we are vaccinated and socializing again, we are actually going out to restaurants for dinner. Joy! It seems so “normal!” If the restaurant-choice conversation in your house is anythi...
https://aphablog.com/2021/06/03/your-advocacy-niche-what-why-and-how/
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. ...
In the midst of this spring’s APHA Academy, we are working on marketing lessons. Marketing – that very necessary planning step in client acquisition that forces us to figure out WHO needs our...
https://aphablog.com/2021/03/16/how-wearing-the-right-shoes-can-define-your-success/
Today I’m sharing with you a recent revelation, based on a conversation with my friend, Grace. It’s H-U-U-G-E! With just a slight shift in thinking and approach, it can be used to manage our ...
Here we are, rounding the corner into 2021, heaving a sigh of relief that 2020 is behind us, and contemplating how we can improve our outcomes – in particular our business outcomes – in this ...
https://aphablog.com/2021/01/04/looking-beyond-the-headlines-can-improve-your-recognition/
Over the years, I’ve met, discussed, emailed, pleaded, and thrown my hands up at (probably) hundreds of advocates who have never truly become professional, independent, practicing advocates. Th...
https://aphablog.com/2020/10/30/all-that-but-missing-your-bag-of-chips/
One great idea for marketing our advocacy services and acquiring new clients is to reach out to employers to encourage them to hire us on behalf of their employees. When done well, and right, it ...
(This post is being published in May 2020 – in the midst of the pandemic – when many advocates are working from home, and hopefully taking time to update and improve their business practices....
https://aphablog.com/2020/05/15/bogus-claims-will-come-back-to-bite-you/
Covid-19 Update: April 13, 2020 Whether you’re holed up in your home office, or enjoying a nice walk or other exercise, or anything in between, your earpods, or earbuds, or a headset can be you...
Covid-19 Update: April 1, 2020 Sadly, but not surprisingly, I know those of you in practice just aren’t hearing much from new business / clients these days. Beyond the fact that everyone still ...
Covid-19 Update: March 19, 2020 During the past week, as the coronavirus / COVID-19 crisis has taken over our lives, I have heard from many advocates who are taking all the steps needed to stay s...
https://aphablog.com/2020/03/19/update-2-covid-19-the-right-attitude/
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know you can’t turn on the news, read news online or in a newspaper, or attend an event, or go anywhere – in person or online – without seeing ...
https://aphablog.com/2020/03/04/patient-advocates-and-the-coronavirus/
Most advocates and care managers I know have huge hearts. They want to help everyone who needs help! They truly dislike having to charge money for their services (because many have done this work...
https://aphablog.com/2020/01/29/charging-on-a-sliding-scale-just-creates-a-can-of-worms/
“My directory listing doesn’t attract enough clients. What am I doing wrong?” “I get calls, but we hang up the phone without a contract! What am I doing wrong?” “I finished working wi...
https://aphablog.com/2020/01/20/need-more-clients-3-marketing-realities-and-resources/
Thanksgiving and the rest of the holiday season are right around the corner. Smart health and patient advocates and care managers can find this season to be a golden opportunity to expand their r...
https://aphablog.com/2019/11/17/families-need-you-a-thanksgiving-opportunity/
I’m a political being and a news junkie. Can’t help it. It’s in my blood – literally – because both my father and grandfather (Dad’s father) were journalists, both avidly interested i...
https://aphablog.com/2019/09/30/political-controversy-we-are-being-tested-once-again/
They have been the fastest, most exhausting, most rewarding, and most humbling years of my life… And they result in a story in which the universe has played quite a large role. On September 18,...
Suppose I go to my favorite pizza shop and this conversation takes place: Me: I would like a pepperoni pizza with black olives, onions, and extra cheese. Johnny the Pizza Guy: Sure! I’d be hap...
https://aphablog.com/2019/08/12/self-centered-and-unbusinesslike/
When people ask you what you do for a living, what do you – as an independent health / patient advocate, or care manager — reply to them? It would be simple to say “I am an advocate” whic...
I spent the weekend gardening. It’s spring, after all. Since my last assault on my garden last Fall, many plants got leggy, or died, or just needed rehab of some sort. Unlike many of my neighbo...
https://aphablog.com/2019/05/20/less-becomes-more-where-subtraction-has-positive-results/
Over the years, dozens of professional advocate wannabes have talked to me about fear, including Fear of failure Fear of doing the wrong thing for a client Fear of failure Fear of losing their sa...
I’ve been working on updating the AdvoConnection Directory website because it was time, because search engines look favorably upon updates. And because my not-frequent-enough review of the site...
https://aphablog.com/2019/03/04/how-does-a-patient-choose-the-best-advocate-to-hire/
12 years. While on the one hand, 12 years seems like a looong time, on the other hand, it has gone by in the blink of an eye. I’m referring to the 12 years I’ve focused my professional life o...
https://aphablog.com/2018/10/23/successes-failures-and-my-biggest-surprise/
What if I told you that you could make or break your advocacy practice by spending an additional 3-5 minutes after each client interface? Yes – it could be that simple. Hold that thought as I e...
Twice in the past week, I heard from people whose APHA memberships expired, explaining why they didn’t renew. In both cases excuses in the form of complaints about their memberships were made. ...
https://aphablog.com/2018/08/27/when-is-an-advocate-not-an-advocate/
In April of this year, patient advocates convened in San Diego for the APHA Summits to mix and mingle, learn, and talk shop… Joining us was the video crew from HBO’s Vice News, led by produce...
Channeling Paul Harvey today…. (Don’t know who Paul Harvey is? Maybe you’re too young, or you never spent much time listening to Talk Radio… Paul Harvey was famous for his radio broadcast...
…then it’s time to get logical. And logic will triumph! As many readers know, I’m in the process of coordinating our APHA Summits. We had our first Summit adventure in San Diego a few weeks...
The “mean girls” are at it again… or so I’ve been warned by a handful of APHA members. I’m not sure I agree. But I know one thing for sure: the world of the mean girls has shifted. Who ...
https://aphablog.com/2018/05/07/revisiting-the-mean-girls-in-our-new-advocacy-environment/
My husband and I moved two years ago to Florida where we now live in an “active adult” community*. We love it! We’re very happy here. We’ve met and made many new friends – people we hav...
https://aphablog.com/2018/04/16/that-very-very-thin-line-do-not-be-tom/
Last week two of my friends invited me to participate with them in a local March for Our Lives event being held Saturday. If you are tuned into the news and politics of today, you know that march...
https://aphablog.com/2018/03/26/stop-halt-keep-quiet-or-lose-business/
Would you ever hire someone to do your laundry? Many of us would answer Yes! Of course! — IF we had the money. A big IF! I suspect, however, that most of us would say no, knowing that washers a...
https://aphablog.com/2018/03/19/how-is-patient-advocacy-like-doing-the-laundry/
This past week, for the first time, AdvoConnection Directory-listed APHA members were able to access their statistics (analytics) for their AdvoConnection profiles. How many visitors found the ad...
We began last week with this series of myths about starting, building, and growing an independent patient advocacy or care management practice. As a reminder, these myths are based on the comment...
https://aphablog.com/2018/01/22/3-more-myths-building-advocacy-practice/
The real shame of this new series of posts is that it’s the result of feedback from people who gave up on their dreams of starting and growing independent, private advocacy practices. The furth...
https://aphablog.com/2018/01/15/3-myths-about-building-an-independent-advocacy-practice/
Happy New Year to you! And so begins another year of improving patients’ healthcare system outcomes in one way or another, and realizing we are making a huge difference in people’s lives! We�...
As 2017 comes to a close, I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the blog posts you, my readers, considered to be most worth your reading time. Using post analytics, I’m able to se...
https://aphablog.com/2017/12/18/top-10-best-of-apha-posts-2017-in-review/
How is it possible we’ve reached the end of 2017 already? Why does it seem like the years zoom past us faster than the previous ones did? As we marvel at how quickly time passes, we, as small b...
https://aphablog.com/2017/12/11/save-money-and-time-with-these-end-of-the-year-tasks/
The shocking news last week (although not-so-shocking to some) that Matt Lauer had been kicked to the curb by NBC came in tandem with an email conversation with a newly minted health advocate who...
https://aphablog.com/2017/12/04/what-matt-lauer-can-teach-us-about-private-independent-advocacy/
The blame game has been on my mind recently after several emails or phone conversations, plus the results of an exit survey offered when APHA memberships expire. In all cases, people gave reasons...
https://aphablog.com/2017/11/13/5-lousy-excuses-and-one-very-good-one/
Consider Bertha. Bertha has been knitting since learning how at age 12. She’s a wonderful knitter! She has been knitting for decades – scarves, sweaters, hats, gloves and mittens, socks, you ...
https://aphablog.com/2017/11/06/if-an-advocate-launches-in-the-forest-and-no-one-hears/
What a MESS Open Enrollment is this year! No matter where your health insurance comes from – an employer, the Obamacare exchanges, or Medicare – it’s changed up, switched up, and more confu...
https://aphablog.com/2017/10/30/open-enrollment-confusion-spells-opportunity/
Those of us who stay on top of patient advocacy-related news got a jolt from this headline, “Patient Advocacy Groups Rake In Donations From Pharma.” Just the jolt itself suggests that a few c...
What do you do for a living? What sort of business do you run? That’s a classic business question, and those who understand marketing and PR, and have been in business during the last decade, m...
https://aphablog.com/2017/09/26/what-do-you-believe-why-a-marketing-proposition/
We were all there at one time; that point in early adulthood when we realized we needed someone to guide us as we saved money for our futures and retirement. We didn’t understand much (if anyth...
https://aphablog.com/2017/08/14/background-checks-for-health-advocates/
My husband and I moved 14 months ago to Florida. Since then, each time I’ve been on the highway, I’ve seen billboards which have fascinated me. They advertise the Florida Citrus Centers which...
And, finally, the fourth and last in our series of skills, abilities and attributes that all successful advocates and care managers must. Find Part I of the Dirty Dozen. Find Part II of the Dirty...
https://aphablog.com/2017/05/30/part-iv-the-dirty-dozen-skills-abilities/
Yes, Part III, as promised in our second installment when we continued with three additional attributes of successful advocates. Find Part I of the Dirty Dozen. Find Part II of the Dirty Dozen. T...
Yes, Part II, as promised in our first installment last week when we began with the first four attributes of successful advocates. Find Part I of the Dirty Dozen. Which of these describe you and ...
I heard from a gentleman this week who represents many of you. Specifically, he was trying to decide whether to pursue becoming an independent patient advocate – or not – because he wasn’t ...
https://aphablog.com/2021/03/31/just-what-does-it-take-to-be-a-successful-patient-advocate/
Today I’m sharing a beef about HIPAA. Respect for our profession is at stake. Remember, one of our goals is to become one of THE most respected of professions who work in the healthcare system....
https://aphablog.com/2017/03/27/dont-let-hippa-drag-us-down/
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...
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 u...
https://aphablog.com/2017/03/06/direct-to-patients-frank-honest-and-motivational/
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. ...
(To my gentleman readers – please pardon this week’s post. You are more than welcome to read it, of course, and there will be advantages to doing so, but it’s really aimed at the females am...
https://aphablog.com/2017/01/30/hey-little-girls-yes-women-can-be-brilliant/
As we close in on the end of the year, many of you are (or at least should be) in the process of reviewing your marketing plans in preparation for the new year. Others among you, those who are ju...
https://aphablog.com/2016/12/12/an-advocates-website-checklist/
It’s the question I’m asked by newbies more frequently than any other: How much can I charge? (BTW – what they really mean is – How much can I make?) To answer those questions in 2014, I ...
https://aphablog.com/2016/12/05/charge-more-its-good-for-everyone-including-your-clients/
Readers of this blog may remember that my husband and I have been in the process of moving – from Upstate NY (where they had 40 inches of snow last week!) to Central Florida. (No, no snow here ...
https://aphablog.com/2016/11/28/shooting-your-advocacy-in-the-foot/
When President Barack Obama ran for office in 2008, healthcare reform was already an enormous and contentious topic. In those days, I was invited to speak to dozens of groups of patients and care...
https://aphablog.com/2016/11/14/what-the-presidential-election-results-mean-for-patient-advocates/
Many readers of this blog (members of The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates) know we’ve been burning the candle at both ends trying to complete the build of the new APHA membership webs...
https://aphablog.com/2016/10/24/carly-simon-ketchup-and-an-advocates-secret-sauce/
I live and work in Florida now. For the first time in my adult life, I live in a state where there’s a real possibility that my vote in the upcoming presidential election will make a difference...
https://aphablog.com/2016/10/10/like-putting-ponze-in-charge-of-my-retirement-savings-a-rant/
Over the years I’ve been asked this so many times – when do I think health and patient advocacy as a well-known profession will “arrive?” As if there should be some sort of date on which ...
Twenty years ago, prior to self-employment and work in patient empowerment and advocacy, I was the marketing director for my local community college. In so many ways I loved that job. It was diff...
https://aphablog.com/2016/08/01/our-clients-need-this-one-skill-the-most/
We privately paid, independent, professional patient advocates “tend to be older, white, female, more highly educated, and have other medical training or past careers in related professions.”...
https://aphablog.com/2016/07/11/survey-says-the-results-are-in/
Last week my husband and I made our move. After decades of living in Upstate NY, we moved to Florida (hey! It’s hot down here!) – and are now transitioning to new lives in a new place, with n...
https://aphablog.com/2016/05/23/a-train-of-thought-to-put-you-on-the-fast-track-to-success/
A few weeks ago, I wrote Fool Me Once, Shame on You, But Fool Me Twice about the problems that can hurt patient-clients which also hurt our profession because they violate our ethical principles ...
https://aphablog.com/2016/04/04/mixed-messages-are-just-a-lawsuit-waiting-to-happen/
Posted in the APHA Discussion Forum by one of our member advocates, In the last week I have received calls from 2 potential clients whose physicians actually advised them to get a Patient Advocat...
https://aphablog.com/2016/02/01/physicians-buying-in-bring-on-the-patient-advocates/
Updated June 2018 Recently I was asked my opinion on the biggest challenges in patient advocacy as we turn the corner to 2016. I didn’t hesitate with my answer. I know exactly what those huge c...
https://aphablog.com/2016/01/11/how-to-overcome-the-biggest-challenge-in-patient-advocacy-today/
During the next few weeks, just prior to January 1, our brains begin to process the “Oh no! A new year is about to arrive! It’s time to make another New Year’s resolution!” And then, the...
See if this sounds familiar: When it comes time to help a client, or discuss your work, or promote your practice… you hesitate. Sometimes just a little, sometimes more, sometimes you balk all t...
You may be in the process of making up your holiday shopping and to-do lists… So while you are at it, here’s another important list to make – this one for your advocacy practice. When if yo...
https://aphablog.com/2015/11/30/8-end-of-the-year-tasks-for-smart-care-professionals/
It’s been in the works for a little while, and today we’re happy to announce a new way for some APHA members to promote their capabilities… the AdvoConnection Advocate Spotlight! Why the Sp...
https://aphablog.com/2015/11/23/and-the-first-advoconnection-spotlight-is-on/
I suspect this discussion is going to surprise you as much as it surprised me. The topic is Nonsense, but not Nonsense by its classic definition. No, this Nonsense is quite different, and, frankl...
https://aphablog.com/2015/11/09/making-the-case-for-nonsense/
Today we’re channeling The Who, Merriam Webster and one of my longtime favorite fellow patient empowerment buddies, Gary Schwitzer, who reminds me at least weekly why we just can’t trust the ...
https://aphablog.com/2015/10/19/merriam-webster-the-who-and-hacking-churnalism/
I’m a huge fan of TV’s Shark Tank. Not an episode goes by when I don’t learn something about business, investment, marketing or some other tidbit I can use in my work. My favorite “shark�...
https://aphablog.com/2015/10/12/shark-tank-narrative-your-audiences-and-success/
This is the question that has plagued me as the director of a professional patient advocacy organization since it was first launched. It’s a question that usually comes from someone who is just...
https://aphablog.com/2015/09/28/why-i-hope-these-pigs-never-fly-and-you-should-too/
They’re getting worse. Or at least it feels that way. I’ve just spent a week away, traveling across the country for both business and pleasure. While on the road, I’ve talked to dozens of p...
On Friday, Dr. Farid Fata was sentenced to 45 years in prison in the state of Michigan. If you read or watch the news reports you would think the reason behind his long sentence had something to ...
https://aphablog.com/2015/07/11/how-professional-patient-advocates-would-have-stopped-farid-fata/
(Originally published June 2015. Updated June 2020) This week (2015) we were contacted by two major TV news outlets requesting interviews with advocates – one a national broadcast outlet, the o...
https://aphablog.com/2015/06/29/just-where-is-that-privacy-line/
Long time readers of this blog know that when it comes to private advocacy, I preach the gospel of learning to run a business. I know – it seems counter-intuitive sometimes. But it’s true; th...
We live in an instant gratification world, don’t we? I suppose we could harken back to BF Skinner’s hungry rats, then combine that with the expectation of instant answers we get from the Inte...
https://aphablog.com/2015/06/15/why-it-takes-so-long-to-acquire-a-new-client/
This week the Chicago Tribune featured patient advocacy as a growing trend – a marvelous exposure to private advocacy for the uninitiated (uninitiated = most of the known universe). Several of ...
https://aphablog.com/2015/04/27/misleading-headline-provides-an-opportunity/
One of my favorite activities as the director of the Alliance of Professional Health Advocates is conducting the APHA workshops in business and marketing that we offer a few times each year. One ...
“Happy New Year to you and much happiness and success in 2015!”… You know that all business conducted by email or holiday card during the past few weeks has ended with just that greeting �...
https://aphablog.com/2015/01/05/a-new-year-and-the-responsibility-of-potential/
The holidays are here! And whether or not Santa plays a role in your own celebration, you have to give it to him – he may be THE most recognizable brand in the world. It struck me this week tha...
https://aphablog.com/2014/12/14/santa-can-teach-us-advocates-plenty-about-good-branding/
Remember that TV show from a decade or more ago? When a contestant failed to answer a quiz question correctly, the host would sternly declare, “YOU ARE the WEAKEST LINK. GOOD-BYE!”? Remaining...
< ….cue Paul Anka or Donny Osmond…. > …. Remember when you were a teenager in puppy love> Oh! You couldn’t stand to be away from the new person in your life! You knew you would love each ...
https://aphablog.com/2014/12/01/and-they-called-it-puppy-l-o-o-ve/
Last summer I came upon this great word – a word I had never heard before, but which can be used in so many aspects of conversation and life! The word is “gallimaufry.”? It means a hodgepod...
https://aphablog.com/2014/11/24/gallimaufry-your-questions-some-answers-media-and-just-stuff/
One of our APHA members* forwarded this video link to me, interested in the idea posed about starting one’s practice before it is perfect. So I watched it… And watching it was perhaps the bes...
We’re in the final stages of putting together the Advanced Marketing Handbook (scheduled for release in early October 2014) – and as I was reviewing parts of it this week, I had a thought to ...
https://aphablog.com/2014/09/21/its-not-marketing-its-teaching/
The answer to this notion of “the one thing you must do” boils down to trust, although maybe not in the way you’ll expect… I say this to you, with the keen awareness of the fact that trus...
A Memorial Day Tribute My husband is retired from the Air Force* after serving for 20 years during the Vietnam era. My father served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. These two veterans,...
(Updated February 2017) Recently we relaunched one of our APHA networking benefits, Special Interest Groups (SIGs). They provide members with the opportunity to connect with like-minded professio...
As advocates working for clients with grave medical problems, or clients who battle their insurance companies to get what they need for their care, or could lose their entire financial foundation...
I’ll confess that I’m not a big football fan. And I’m certainly not a big fan of sports metaphors (which actually drive me crazy in business because I think they are exclusionary – not ev...