… 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/
This post will be short(er) and sweet(er)than usual – because your time will be better spent reading something else – linked below. And here’s why: You may be familiar with CSA: The Society...
Once in awhile a topic in the APHA Connect! Discussion Forum takes on a life of its own. The recent conversation regarding liability / professional / E&O (errors and omissions) insurance for advo...
https://aphablog.com/2021/11/28/the-advocacy-business-insurance-conundrum/
Does this sound familiar? A prospective client calls to talk to you about helping her out. The story may vary, but the bottom line is that she is stuck and needs help from someone who can help he...
https://aphablog.com/2021/10/16/when-potential-clients-wont-buy-the-milk/
True confession here – I am not a HUGE fan of Dr. Phil’s. However, in the early years of his TV show I used to watch on occasion and felt like he made some great points about the choices we m...
https://aphablog.com/2021/09/21/with-a-nod-to-dr-phil-hows-that-workin-for-ya/
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/
I love Seattle. I have visited several times, all work-related, and always pleasurable. Such a vibrant city, so many good-hearted people. If I didn’t live so far away, I’d visit far more ofte...
I’m always fascinated by research results that make me go “hmmm”. Today I have one of those to share with you. Sometimes it’s not a good “hmmm” – because my thought process is – �...
https://aphablog.com/2021/06/22/a-simple-coin-toss-could-determine-your-future/
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/
Understatement warning! (Like a spoiler alert only it’s no spoiler!) Burnout among medical professionals is huge right now. The COVID pandemic has caused exhausted healthcare professionals to s...
https://aphablog.com/2021/05/12/burned-out-leaving-medicine-advocacy-might-be-right-for-you/
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. ...
I heard recently from a woman who represents many of you. Specifically, she wanted to know whether she could be successful if she committed herself to advocacy. She isn’t sure if she knows enou...
https://aphablog.com/2021/03/31/just-what-does-it-take-to-be-a-successful-patient-advocate/
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/
It was jarring. It was upsetting. And it was taken care of swiftly. One among us decided that advocacy ethics don’t apply to her. And her actions, way outside our best practices and ethics, cou...
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/
2020 has been a year for the books, right? Few, if any, health and patient advocates or care managers will tell you that 2020 has been a good business year, much less a good year personally. But ...
https://aphablog.com/2020/12/08/success-in-2020-meant-finding-our-relocated-cheese/
This post asks the question: Under what circumstances do we go to the wall for our patient-clients? And when we need to go there, what’s the best approach? Scenario: Your patient-client checks ...
https://aphablog.com/2020/11/18/what-aretha-franklin-can-teach-us-about-communication/
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 ...
“Back in the day” there was a piece of advice that admonished us to remember that if you went on a first date, or when you invited the boss to dinner, or while you were at work, or during sim...
https://aphablog.com/2020/09/15/science-darwin-and-advocacy-ethics/
No one can ever be expected to know everything about everything at the moment they need to know it. Yet, if there’s one thing I’ve learned about medical providers – and too many health advo...
https://aphablog.com/2020/09/10/its-fair-to-say-i-dont-know/
Think of the successful business people you know or know of. They probably run different kinds of businesses, even non-profits. Their businesses are different sizes, too – from solopreneurs to ...
It’s been a conundrum, now solved. It’s been a wish, now solved. It’s been a challenge, which has now been solved, and solved with a solution that will continue to grow the profession of ad...
This post was originally published in July 2013, and was updated in July 2020. Two unrelated stories have crossed my path, but their bottom lines are the same. It’s too easy to be fooled. Story...
https://aphablog.com/2020/07/06/beware-wolves-sheeps-clothing/
I wish I had a nickel for every time someone told me “I want to join the Alliance of Professional Health Advocates because I’m good at advocacy, I’ve done it for years for friends and famil...
(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/
Table of Contents Find all COVID-19 / Coronavirus Pandemic posts listed here: …most recent listed first Update #5: For Your Listening and Learning Pleasure? (April 13, 2020) Update #4: Finding ...
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 21, 2020 Responses to my previous post indicate many advocates are beginning to emerge from your “OMG” moments and trying to figure out how to get started, to prepare y...
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/
If you consider a bacon-and-egg breakfast, what is the difference between the chicken and the pig? It’s a question that determines commitment. While the chicken can produce many eggs over a lif...
https://aphablog.com/2020/02/13/are-you-the-chicken-or-the-pig/
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/
Common scenario: You have dreamed about becoming a private health /patient advocate or care manager for a while. You know you can do it, you know you are a good advocate, your heart really WANTS ...
https://aphablog.com/2020/01/03/get-unstuck-learn-to-overcome-the-paralysis-of-analysis/
Many of you, despite the fact that you have developed outstanding patient advocacy skills, will not succeed as independent private advocates, because you don’t act on one important distinction....
https://aphablog.com/2019/12/04/why-lifelong-advocates-can-fail-at-independent-advocacy/
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/
You’re probably shaking your head… Criminal? Seriously? Of course you haven’t broken the law! You’re a law-abiding citizen and would never consider doing such a thing! And yet, there may ...
https://aphablog.com/2019/10/28/you-may-be-a-criminal-without-even-knowing-it/
… there is nothing like a shared experience to improve our worlds: personal and professional. Just WOW! The inaugural ICOPA is in the books and it was ALL THAT. ICOPA = International Conference...
https://aphablog.com/2019/10/14/icopa-2019-proved-once-again-that/
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,...
As children across the US and Canada start kindergarten this time of the year, I’m reminded of Robert Fulghum’s book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, a classic, published...
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/
“Only rich people can afford an advocate.” Or: “Doesn’t providing private patient advocacy services only to those who can afford them, just create one more division between the “haves�...
https://aphablog.com/2019/07/29/going-on-offense-who-deserves-an-advocates-help/
In your pre-advocacy lifetime, you may never have thought you would be dealing with “customer service.” And yet, now that you’ve started working with clients, that’s what you’re require...
https://aphablog.com/2019/07/15/the-search-meter-customer-service-and-fulfilling-your-need-to-know/
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...
Heard on the street (and on the phone, and during an in-person conversation, and by text….) IFs and THENs: If was just ______, then ______ ! You’ll have your own variations to fill in there,...
https://aphablog.com/2019/06/17/raise-your-dues-so-we-can-turn-the-titanic/
As advocates, we all quickly become familiar with, and embrace, and share with clients, our Code of Ethics.* Of course, there are many tenets to the code, but primary among them is the very speci...
https://aphablog.com/2019/06/03/what-biases-dont-you-recognize/
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/
OK, yes, I’m dating myself… One of my favorite Simon and Garfunkel songs is Bridge Over Troubled Water. I’ve been humming it repeatedly over the last few weeks, and last week, we let the ad...
https://aphablog.com/2019/04/29/simon-and-garfunkel-an-anthem-to-advocacy/
An Open Letter to an Advocate Who Questions Her APHA Membership Received last week from Esther (not her real name): If you would please clarify a few things I’d really appreciate it.It’s time...
https://aphablog.com/2019/04/15/assessing-value-the-cost-of-meat-and-potatoes/
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...
This is a question – or a statement – I hear frequently from those who wish to be independent health or patient advocates who are considering which business formation they need to set up to b...
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/
Back in the 1950s, into the 1960s, a game show called Who Do You Trust? aired where couples were asked questions, and one had to “trust” the other to answer it (or not!). If you remember the ...
https://aphablog.com/2019/02/18/johnny-carson-game-shows-and-a-lesson-about-trust/
Over the years, one of my favorite things to do has been to work with / speak to / address college students. They are young, aren’t yet set in their ways, still hope to save the world, are naiv...
Last week, I received an email from a woman, I’ll call her Miranda, taking me to task for an article I had written that she found online. If Miranda had her way, I’d be walking the plank abou...
https://aphablog.com/2019/01/21/loaded-for-bear-may-mean-no-care/
While many independent advocates and care managers spent their holiday time either celebrating, spending time with their families, and/or putting out fires for clients… I’ve been right here a...
Honestly, I’m tired of the argument. I live and work in Florida where you would think it was some sort of national disgrace to wish someone “Happy Holidays”. As if somehow the failure to wi...
https://aphablog.com/2018/12/03/because-greetings-should-be-all-about-them/
In an email conversation with one of our APHA mentors last week, a point that is so often lacking in the understanding of an independent advocacy practice was made: That it usually takes 3 to 5 y...
https://aphablog.com/2018/11/19/like-learning-to-ride-your-bike/
Survivor – Jeff Probst and Company (and company and company and company!). Currently in its 37th season, I’ve watched probably 30 of those seasons. I’m more about the psychology, head games...
https://aphablog.com/2018/11/05/where-survivor-tv-meets-a-new-advocacy-practice/
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/
Andrea is confused, and if Andrea is confused, others among you are, too. She’s just the one who asked. (You might want to thank her!) Andrea posted a comment on a previous APHA Blog post calle...
https://aphablog.com/2018/10/08/licensed-certified-uppercase-lowercase-where-are-you/
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...
I’m often asked what questions people ask me most frequently. The answer is some variation of this family of questions: How much does an advocate charge? What is the hourly rate for health or p...
https://aphablog.com/2018/09/10/how-much-do-patient-advocates-charge/
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/
You have probably heard that old joke about a Boy Scout who was determined to help a little old lady cross the street. After a number of attempts and iterations, he finally picked her up and carr...
https://aphablog.com/2018/08/20/when-granny-doesnt-want-to-cross-the-street/
When I decided for the first time in the 1980s to go into business for myself, my father thought I was crazy. “Why would you want to work 12 hours a day for yourself when you can work 8 hours a...
https://aphablog.com/2018/08/06/freedom-flexibility-and-other-twisted-notions-about-self-employment/
In response to one of the most frequently asked questions I get as the director of The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates – I might be providing an answer you don’t expect. That’s OK...
https://aphablog.com/2018/07/23/independent-advocacys-three-legged-stool-of-success/
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...
Once upon a time, the word “advocate” was contentious: doctors didn’t want us in the room, nurses didn’t want us next to a hospital bed, and health insurers thought we patient advocates w...
https://aphablog.com/2018/07/09/help-us-assess-the-lovefest/
The phone rings. It’s a new, potential client calling. You answer, “This is Joan Advocate. May I help you?” The client, Juanita, is relieved to hear your friendly voice. She launches into h...
https://aphablog.com/2018/06/25/to-gain-a-new-client-youll-have-to-break-2-bad-habits/
Regular readers of this blog know a couple of things about me. For one thing, they know I live in Florida, having moved here from Upstate NY two years ago, no longer willing to freeze my cabungus...
It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s always an eyeopener and usually quite unsettling. When done well, and handled well, it can turn out to be therapeutic, and has the potential fo...
https://aphablog.com/2018/06/11/btching-and-moaning-therapeutic-and-educational/
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...
Over the holiday weekend – Memorial Day Weekend – I pondered the sacrifices soldiers have made for our country. I expect you did, too. I’m married to a retired soldier. My husband spent 20 ...
https://aphablog.com/2018/05/29/serving-ones-country-as-a-healthcare-soldier/
I’ve just returned from Newark where we held the second of our 2018 APHA Summits Networking Events. About 30 advocates attended, with backgrounds ranging from leaders (long-time advocates who h...
https://aphablog.com/2018/05/21/polishing-our-advocacy-rocks/
…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/
I had interesting conversations with someday-advocates last week. I love those conversations; I always learn something from them which I can then bring back to the Alliance and the information we...
https://aphablog.com/2018/04/23/should-insurance-provide-reimbursement-to-independent-advocates/
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/
Many readers of this blog are familiar with, or are already listed in the AdvoConnection Directory. It’s THE place to be for private, professional, independent advocates who want to be found an...
Today’s post is deeply personal, the culmination of 5-1/2 years of work, thousands of hours of donated time and effort, and my hopes, emotions, and dreams for this profession of health and pati...
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...
It’s that time of year when, every time we turn around, we’re being reminded that it’s time to file our income tax returns. I rank those moments right down there with getting a tooth drille...
https://aphablog.com/2018/03/05/income-tax-time-saving-money-and-saving-trouble/
You don’t have to be a huge fan of Dr. Phil’s to appreciate his delightful and useful sayings. He boils down important and sometimes complex concepts into downhome philosophy that helps us be...
https://aphablog.com/2018/02/26/pancakes-snakes-red-flags-and-advocacy/
I played golf the other day with a group of women I didn’t know well. I came away from the round being less pleased with my golf game (I really can’t putt!), but much pleased with the convers...
https://aphablog.com/2018/02/19/fashionistas-what-hats-does-an-advocate-wear/
A few days ago, I heard from Beatrice (not her real name), an APHA member who has been successfully running her patient advocacy practice for several years. We met a few years ago when she and he...
https://aphablog.com/2018/02/12/the-biggest-risk-in-life-are-you-living-the-life-you-want-to-live/
There was big excitement last week as the launch for the first Patient Advocate Certification exam took place. From the massive email that went out on January 31 (1700+ people!) to the most-atten...
https://aphablog.com/2018/02/05/what-you-havent-asked-about-patient-advocate-certification/
This is week 3 of our series, and includes the final four myths about starting, building, and growing an independent patient advocacy or care management practice. Week 1 (Myths 1, 2, and 3) is fo...
https://aphablog.com/2018/01/29/the-last-four-myths-about-starting-an-independent-advocacy-practice/
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/
It’s no surprise to any of us women who work for a living that sexual harassment and violence have been part of the fabric of our workplaces for our entire careers. With few exceptions, we have...
https://aphablog.com/2018/01/08/the-patient-advocates-version-of-times-up/
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/
One of the simplest best practices for patient advocates is also the one with the fuzziest line. Sometimes it can be difficult to know at what point that fuzzy line will be crossed, and since cro...
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/
Safety has been on my mind this week. It’s one of those concepts that, when related to patient advocacy and care management, can be applied in so many ways, with not so many easy answers. What ...
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...
Chances are you’ve never heard of the three gentlemen named in today’s post title: Vilfredo Pareto, Joseph Juran, or Richard Koch. Nor can you imagine how they – and garden peas – relate ...
Are you a TV watcher? I am. Big time. I love TV. And because of that, more often than I care to admit, I draw inspiration from TV shows and characters. (As a side confession here, we’ve been bi...
https://aphablog.com/2017/10/02/my-person-my-people-building-partnerships-expanding-your-practice/
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/
APHA members received a note from us this week with some expectation management. That is… we’re prepared, and are hunkering down, for Hurricane Irma. Our offices, located in Central Florida, ...
https://aphablog.com/2017/09/10/wind-rain-destruction-and-metaphors/
Long-time readers of this blog know my frustration over newly-minted private, independent advocates volunteering their time as a way to prepare to be professional advocates. Newbie advocates cite...
Yes – it’s entirely possible you’ve crossed the line and had no idea you did so. In fact, you may be crossing it every day and be totally unaware. Further, except that I’m going to illust...
If we have learned anything about ourselves in the past 10 days, it’s that there are some people in this world we will never be able to understand or condone. Between the skirmishes in Charlott...
https://aphablog.com/2017/08/22/saying-no-and-refusing-to-serve-how-to-draw-that-line/
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/
OK – granted – I used that title to get your attention, but there’s a lesson here for all of us whether we use it for our clients, or for ourselves, or for a loved one — and that is — h...
https://aphablog.com/2017/08/07/how-to-avoid-pssing-off-the-doctor-in-one-easy-step/
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...
You know Plan B. Plan B is your go-to option when what you thought would work, didn’t. It’s the answer to the question, “What will you do when life gets in the way?” I was reminded of Pla...
https://aphablog.com/2017/07/17/you-cant-do-life-or-business-without-plan-b/
Words matter. Descriptions matter. Names matter. And we, as advocates, need to pay attention to words, descriptions, and names – and take steps to use them correctly, and as desired. The proble...
https://aphablog.com/2017/07/10/a-rose-by-any-other-name-might-ruin-a-client-relationship/
Please indulge me today. I’m going to share a very personal experience I rarely think about anymore, in hopes it will propel some good advocacy. Sometimes months go by when I barely give it any...
https://aphablog.com/2017/06/26/an-anniversary-meltdowns-blessings-and-fuel-for-advocates/
Earlier this year we hosted one of our APHA Workshop weekends*, with about 30 individuals who are somewhere in the process of growing an advocacy practice. The APHA Workshops were originally desi...
https://aphablog.com/2017/06/20/advocates-are-afraid-to-do-this-until-they-love-to-do-it/
It’s entirely possible to start a new business on a shoestring. We know this, because every publication worth the paper or website it’s published on tells us so: Forbes, USA Today, Entreprene...
https://aphablog.com/2017/06/12/the-most-expensive-business-to-start/
It happened again last week. A gentleman called me to discuss becoming an advocate. He has great experience and could be very helpful to patient-clients because he is (mostly) retired from a care...
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 ...
That’s quite a title for a blog post, don’t you think? I’ve been working on this one for awhile, and it seems to have taken on a life of its own. In fact, it’s so long, I’ve now divided...
One of the websites offered by APHA is a listing of all advocacy educational programs (that we know about). There are programs offered by colleges and universities, private programs, organization...
Many readers know that my husband and I moved last year to Florida from Upstate NY, where – yes, thank you! – we have truly enjoyed this winter. No shoveling, mostly mild temperatures, lots o...
https://aphablog.com/2017/04/10/the-birdcage-how-to-ruin-a-first-impression/
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...
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 th...
https://aphablog.com/2017/03/13/sleep-deprivation-spells-opportunity-and-responsibility/
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/
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 fro...
https://aphablog.com/2017/02/27/a-career-a-profession-and-a-calling-with-responsibility-too/
(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 forme...
https://aphablog.com/2017/02/20/its-that-time-of-the-year-income-taxes-for-you-and-your-clients/
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. ...
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...
(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/
Last week marked the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States. No matter your feelings about him or his politics, he’s here to stay, presumably for the next four years, alongside...
https://aphablog.com/2017/01/23/repeal-of-the-aca-so-now-what-should-we-do/
Over the years, I have connected with thousands of people who intend to become independent health advocates and care managers, and 99.9% of them have one thing in common: their choice of health a...
https://aphablog.com/2017/01/16/when-passion-and-reality-collide/
Since I started this blog, and as each new year begins, I try to think of ways to challenge advocate-readers (and advocate-wannabe-readers) with ways they can improve their work, their results fo...
https://aphablog.com/2017/01/09/the-2017-advocates-challenges/
As we kick off 2017, let’s look at the past year in review. What is the status of this profession of health and patient advocacy? How well is APHA serving the needs of patient-clients and its m...
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/
Two years ago we asked whether a health/patient advocate can also be a decision-maker for her client in the form of being a healthcare proxy or guardian (the patient-designated person who makes e...
https://aphablog.com/2016/10/31/advocate-and-proxy-too-making-decisions-for-clients/
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/
Last week I shared with you two stories of my physician heroes, why they are my heroes, their relationship to my work in patient empowerment and patient advocacy, and why you, too, should emulate...
https://aphablog.com/2016/10/04/of-heroes-trust-discord-arrogance-and-karma-part-ii/
This year I can tell I’m finally getting beyond the trauma. It’s a feeling of freedom to some extent, but sort of a shame to another. And you know me – I always end up analyzing these thing...
https://aphablog.com/2016/09/26/of-heroes-trust-discord-arrogance-and-karma-part-i/
Several weeks ago, a couple we know were married. It was a wonderfully happy event, celebrated by many. The wedding itself was elegant, and beautiful, and everyone had a delightful time at the re...
https://aphablog.com/2016/09/19/the-starfish-story-curmudgeon/
I’m guessing you don’t think of your body parts as making important contributions to your advocacy career. But they certainly do! In the past we’ve talked about the importance of your ears ...
https://aphablog.com/2016/09/12/an-independent-care-professionals-most-important-body-part/
Most of us spent at least 13 of the first 18+ years of our lives going back to school this time of year. Many of us went back to school in August or September even more years than that – throug...
https://aphablog.com/2016/08/29/celebrate-the-fun-anticipation-reconnecting-and-buying-new-stuff/
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 ...
Maybe you’ve heard that old joke: Know how to start a winery and make a small fortune? … Start with a large fortune. On my recent visit to California, I was reminded of that joke. I was teach...
https://aphablog.com/2016/08/15/whinery-how-to-make-your-fortune/
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/
Tuesday was a whack-a-mole day. One thing would go wrong, I would begin to fix it, only to find something else needed fixing, too. Details with new bank accounts (have you tried opening a new bus...
https://aphablog.com/2016/07/25/whack-a-mole-and-the-zen-of-the-caterpillar-that-became-lunch/
The whole world was fascinated last month by Brexit: the vote in Britain to leave the European Union. Would they leave? Wouldn’t they? But to me, the most fascinating part was what happened the...
https://aphablog.com/2016/07/18/preventing-our-own-brexit-saving-our-clients-and-advocacy-practices/
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/
Early in my patient empowerment work, I was invited to write a column for my local daily newspaper. Over the next six years, I wrote hundreds of columns on every empowerment topic imaginable from...
Since moving last month, I now live not far from Orlando. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know the tragic and horrible events that have surrounded this city during the past ten days...
https://aphablog.com/2016/06/20/balance-in-all-things-we-create-a-world-of-good/
You may be aware that The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates maintains a list of mentors – people who have worked in private advocacy for long enough, and who have become successful enou...
https://aphablog.com/2016/06/13/the-yoms-are-back-and-thats-not-a-good-thing/
From 2006 to 2010, I hosted a weekly radio show, sponsored by Upstate Medical University (Syracuse, NY). It gave me the opportunity to interview truly knowledgeable experts in every aspect of med...
If you follow this blog, you know my husband and I have moved to Florida. It’s been a long two weeks, but we are now settled in our temporary housing, a nice home in the same community where we...
https://aphablog.com/2016/05/30/today-i-expect-they-will-begin-to-fly-will-you/
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/
Years ago, I hosted a radio show where I had the opportunity to interview medical providers from many specialties about their work with patients. One of the recurring themes was that “Patients ...
I beg your indulgence today as I relate a personal story. I don’t usually do this – rarely do I share this much personal information! But I promise you, if you stick with it – it will make ...
https://aphablog.com/2016/04/25/the-binder-the-meltdown-and-some-advocacy-karma-too/
We’ve made the decision. We’re leaving the cold Northeastern winters behind, and in just a few weeks my husband and I will be moving south. We’ve sold our home in Upstate NY. We’ve purcha...
https://aphablog.com/2016/04/18/these-8-yard-sale-lessons-may-improve-your-advocacy-practice/
You may remember Robert Fulghum’s book, published in the 1980s, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten… The book is a group of essays focused on the wisdom that helps us lead a g...
https://aphablog.com/2016/04/11/patient-advocates-and-the-kindergarten-principles/
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/
The most prestigious award in the profession of patient advocacy, and in particular, independent, private patient advocacy is awarded this time each year to the person who best exemplifies the te...
From bold-faced lies to misrepresentation – facts that aren’t facts, withholding information, skirting the code of ethics, and shades of truth – honesty and the advocacy business have been ...
https://aphablog.com/2016/03/07/fool-me-once-shame-on-you-but-fool-me-twice/
Channeling Alex Trebec here? a few answers for you, with questions that may sound familiar? Most stem from real patients and caregivers who seek help getting what they need from the healthcare sy...
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/
If you think about it, rule-breaking plays an enormous role in the life and work of a patient advocate. Rule breaking – is one reason (even if it’s not the only reasons) we exist – a proble...
In July 2015, we took a look at the case of Farid Fata, the Michigan oncologist who is now in prison on fraud charges because he diagnosed and treated more than 500 people for cancer they didn’...
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/
Greetings in this new year 2016! I invite you to sit back, and picture yourself in that audience above as I provide you with a status report of sorts on the growth of the profession of patient ad...
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/
(Warning! Today I’m sharing a personal opinion for which I don’t expect total agreement. But I’m steadfast in my belief. I have science behind me. I’m girded for argument… bring it 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/
This is a message with a little tough love for some of the folks I encounter – Pollyannas – who are choosing advocacy as career move. Sorry Pollyanna – but there is no room for you in patie...
https://aphablog.com/2015/11/02/step-aside-pollyanna-theres-no-room-here-for-you/
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/
Sometimes life just sucks. At least that’s my conclusion after hearing recently from too many friends who are suffering various horrible things – health related, money related, death related,...
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/
In 2012, I blogged about this very topic. One ticked-off reader then attacked me on Twitter. A day later, both she and another member of The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates left the org...
https://aphablog.com/2015/09/21/the-advice-that-may-tick-you-off/
My dad retired in the 1980s. In addition to his pension he had also earned health insurance coverage for the rest of his life. Over time, as you can imagine, the actual value of that insurance be...
https://aphablog.com/2015/09/14/goldilocks-dad-and-finding-care-thats-just-right/
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...
“But she is so upset with me now!” That was the response from an advocate who wrote to me after an unpleasant encounter with a former client. Even though they had not worked together for more...
(Channeling the Plain White T’s here…) The book is a childhood classic, Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree. It tells the story of a tree that gives all it has to a boy as he grows from litt...
https://aphablog.com/2015/08/16/8-ways-your-advocacy-practice-may-be-like-the-giving-tree/
Yes, sadly (although rarely) a patient advocate might do more harm than good. I was reminded of this recently when I heard from an APHA member who had picked up the ball from another advocate (no...
https://aphablog.com/2015/08/10/can-an-advocate-do-more-harm-than-good/
Joey Eisch, the 12-year-old son of friends of ours, was a major goofball with an enormous smile, a contagious laugh, and a sheer love of life.The photo above gives you a sense of him. It was take...
https://aphablog.com/2015/08/03/broken-hearts-remind-us-to-show-sympathy-and-empathy/
I’ve stewed over this for years, since 2013 when he was first arrested. But ever since Farid Fata was sentenced to 45 years in prison (ONLY 45!) for fraud, I’m like a dog with a bone. I just ...
https://aphablog.com/2015/07/20/a-second-opinion-isnt-good-enough/
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/
It happened again this week. And as I first suggested last Fall, Ripped from the Headlines… a Warning for Health Advocates, Too we advocates need to pay attention. This isn’t one of those “...
https://aphablog.com/2015/06/08/dont-let-these-headlines-be-about-you/
We hear about scams and frauds every day in the news. An elderly person is convinced to donate money to a scam charity, or doctors defraud Medicare, or someone’s identity is stolen, or the IRS�...
https://aphablog.com/2015/06/01/non-payer-or-scammer-a-new-step-for-client-engagement/
About once every five or six weeks I splurge on Chipotle for lunch. Love it – guacamole and all (Have you tried their corn salsa? Yum.) On my most recent visit, I did something I had never take...
https://aphablog.com/2015/05/18/surprising-wisdom-from-chipotle-will-make-your-day/
Recently, I had one phone conversation and one email, with two different people who are hoping to, and working to become advocates, both exchanges which resulted in very negative takeaways on my ...
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/
A recent email exchange with an APHA member highlighted a point we don’t make often enough, and one you need to embrace so you can discuss it with potential clients. The problem is – she used...
https://aphablog.com/2015/04/20/enemies-no-but-with-an-important-distinction/
Warning! This will be one of those posts you think back to from time to time, because the answers aren’t clear or easy, and the stakes are so high. A few weeks ago we all watched the news about...
https://aphablog.com/2015/04/13/do-advocates-have-a-duty-to-report-dangerous-patients/
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 ...
(Reviewed and Updated February 2022) It’s a good year to revisit patient advocacy services and income taxes. Our first review came in 2010. We looked again in 2013. While little (maybe nothing)...
Our Fifth Annual Private Professional Patient Advocates Week is this week – March 16 to 22 -and I’m here to share tales of the growth of our profession. Can it be that patient advocacy as a ...
Ken Schueler, before he passed away in 2011, was the most exemplary of professional, independent patient advocates. He was kind and compassionate, extremely knowledgeable, a great businessman, an...
https://aphablog.com/2015/03/09/the-2015-schueler-patient-advocacy-compass-award-winner-is/
They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery. While there may be some truth to that, there is no truth to the idea that plagiarism is a form of flattery at all. In my last post I share...
https://aphablog.com/2015/03/02/has-your-work-been-plagiarized/
Updated 2/10/2020 Like Jeopardy, I’m going to start by giving you the answer: Patients and Caregivers Smart Health and Patient Advocates So what’s the question? That would be: Who are the big...
https://aphablog.com/2015/02/16/head-to-head-toe-to-toe-and-who-are-the-big-winners/
Yes – this post is #201 on this blog since it was first launched on June 1, 2010. At around 800 to 1,000 words per post (average) – that’s a lot of idea sharing. When the blog was first sta...
https://aphablog.com/2015/02/09/200-patient-advocacy-ideas-for-you/
In Fall 2010, about 150 health advocates, many of whom were just considering entering the profession, convened in Washington DC for the Second Annual NAHAC Conference. I was there at the invitati...
Consider these scenarios: Scenario #1. Jane calls you, in a panic. Her mother, age 88, who lives in your city, has fallen at her nursing home. Mother Frederick has been hospitalized, but Jane can...
https://aphablog.com/2015/01/26/the-two-pieces-of-advice-you-will-ignore-until-you-are-burned/
OK – I will set the stage for this blog post with a true confession… I graduated from high school in 1969. (Go ahead – do the math!) So you can imagine I was interested in this post on Mash...
https://aphablog.com/2015/01/19/be-bold-like-wearing-pants-to-school/
One of the most visible changes in the new health insurance reality are the medical bill surprises people are receiving that they never received before, for services covered previously as a matte...
https://aphablog.com/2015/01/12/sorry-thats-not-good-enough/
“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/
It was a desperate plea from a young women (we’ll call her Bethany) with a real problem: Bethany had been through several years of infusion treatment for services rendered outside of her networ...
https://aphablog.com/2014/11/17/common-courtesy-and-who-owes-what/
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...
An email this week comes from one of our APHA members, who I will call Bernice, who reminds me of how easy it is to lose sight of what is important to us when it comes to building our advocacy pr...
A recent conversation with a handful of knowledgeable people, people I respect a great deal, yielded two different outcomes – either a loud “yes, of course!!” or a loud “no, no way!” So...
https://aphablog.com/2014/10/13/health-advocacy-ethics-conflict-of-interest-or-important-service/
A kidnapping and murder last weekend raises questions for all professionals who work one-on-one with strangers…. If it can happen to a real estate agent, it can happen to a health advocate, too...
https://aphablog.com/2014/10/06/ripped-from-the-headlines-a-warning-for-health-advocates-too/
I received an email from a woman named Irma. She wants to become a health advocate, to assist people in her community who have Alzheimers. (Bless her for that.) But she was laid off from her job,...
https://aphablog.com/2014/09/29/cruel-to-be-kind-and-kind-to-be-cruel/
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/
One of my favorite words: Chutzpah! Pronounced “hoots-pah.” A Yiddish word translated as “shameless audacity” or “supreme self-confidence,” as in (according to Merriam-Webster) “per...
https://aphablog.com/2014/09/15/chutzpah-know-when-it-crosses-the-line/
Margaret needs help for her aging father who lives 600 miles away from her. She wants to find someone to accompany him to doctors appointments, someone who can review and organize his medical bil...
https://aphablog.com/2014/09/08/babbling-will-get-you-nowhere/
Dateline: September 1, 2009 The AdvoConnection membership organization was launched on this date in an effort to find people who could help patients navigate their medical journeys. Happy Birthda...
https://aphablog.com/2014/08/25/happy-birthday-to-us-advoconnection-turns-5/
What is it worth to find someone who can save your life? What is it worth to find someone who can provide quality to a life that has little or no quality because of health problems? What is it wo...
https://aphablog.com/2014/08/18/youre-not-charging-enough-and-its-hurting-our-entire-profession/
Here are samples of some inquiries I have received from people wanting to be advocates. See if you can guess what they all have in common: I want to help Medicaid patients find doctors who will t...
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...
Updated March 2017 When APHA and AdvoConnection were launched in 2009, the resources that existed for starting and growing a private, independent advocacy practice were few and far between. There...
https://aphablog.com/2014/07/21/mentors-and-sigs-our-best-resources-yet/
I heard from a friend that he recently sold his start-up business after years of building it to do just that. Wow! I was so impressed! “Take a break!” I replied. “I can only imagine how muc...
https://aphablog.com/2014/07/14/the-real-cost-of-selling-ones-soul/
It’s been a tough week. From the initial blow, I’ve been a poster child for Kubler Ross’s five stages of grief. At this point I’m probably mid-way between depression and acceptance. If yo...
https://aphablog.com/2014/07/07/turning-adversity-into-proactive-survivorship/
It’s a holiday week, a quieter time for many businesses, and for that I hope to leave you with some food for thought to ponder your success as an advocacy practice owner… One of my favorite q...
https://aphablog.com/2014/06/30/henry-ford-mary-kay-success-and-patient-advocates/
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”? (Maimonides) As a former classroom teacher, and now a teacher of advocates, I’ve always...
Years ago, in my salad days, I took a new marketing job after being interviewed by a gentleman who seemed as nice as anyone I had ever met in a workplace. It didn’t take me long to learn my new...
https://aphablog.com/2014/06/09/hidden-agendas-and-being-used/
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,...
My email inbox each week finds many questions that relate to health advocates’ education, or the availability of certification. There are three general questions I am asked: One of the most fre...
https://aphablog.com/2014/05/19/where-do-patient-advocates-get-their-education-or-certification/
(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...
(Apologies for the lists that no longer work in this post. In early summer 2014, About.com deleted almost 1000 posts and articles I had written. The points below are still valid, but I wanted you...
https://aphablog.com/2014/04/28/saving-your-clients-from-jerks-crooks-and-malintents/
Ramona – whose real name was Rosemary – has died. She did it (mostly) her way. I first shared Ramona/Rosemary’s story with you a few months ago. She had contacted me through my patient empo...
https://aphablog.com/2014/04/21/rip-ramona-with-appreciation-for-the-lessons-she-taught-us/
(updated January 2017) We’ve seen fireworks in the APHA Forum before. And we’ve dealt with them. The beautiful thing about the Forum is that allows free conversations on every topic imaginabl...
Having just returned from the APHA Business and Marketing workshops in Tampa, and in reviewing my notes and questions from attendees, I’ve come to a new conclusion about why many people have so...
https://aphablog.com/2014/04/06/asking-wtwttch-helps-to-overcome-the-paralysis-of-analysis/
Last week I shared with you the problems I had with my coffee pot which burned and melted its insides – and then, while shopping for a new one, it reminded me of a lesson in making sure we advo...
It was the SMELL – you know, that noxious, horrifying smell of burning rubber… That’s what alerted me to my smoldering coffee pot which was no longer just heating my coffee… No flames (OK...
https://aphablog.com/2014/03/10/my-coffee-pot-caught-fire-and-other-lessons-for-advocates/
This year, March 3 to 9th, marks our Fourth Annual Private Professional Patient Advocates Week – capping the 5th year of existence of AdvoConnection and the Alliance of Professional Health Advo...
And – we have a winner! The Alliance of Professional Health Advocates, on behalf of its selection committee (comprised of past winners plus Ken Schueler’s daughter, Alexandra), is pleased to ...
https://aphablog.com/2014/02/23/the-2014-schueler-patient-advocacy-compass-award-and-the-winner-is/
Patient advocate Joan H. Elper has been an independent advocate for more than a year now. She has worked with seven clients during that time, and is growing her practice slowly but surely. Her fo...
https://aphablog.com/2014/02/17/eight-hour-day-get-paid-for-sixteen/
Each week I’m contacted by a handful of people who have just begun thinking about becoming professional patient or health advocates. Often they share long stories – many paragraphs or several...
https://aphablog.com/2014/02/10/doing-what-you-love-right-into-a-hole/
Several weeks ago I was contacted by Ramona*, a woman in her 50s who is leading what she considers to be a horrible, no-quality life. She is tied to machines for all but about 2 hours a day, she ...
https://aphablog.com/2014/02/02/death-dying-unhappiness-and-misery-have-been-on-my-mind/
(Update: December 2017. This post was written in 2014 (see the URL in your browser bar) when we launched the “new” directory – pictured below. Since then, our even newer directory was laun...
https://aphablog.com/2014/01/26/all-dressed-up-with-big-places-to-go/
As the director of an organization for private, independent patient advocates, this time of year is full of big excitement – and big disappointments, too. Today is January 12, 2014 and I’m ex...
https://aphablog.com/2014/01/12/why-being-too-helpful-will-destroy-your-advocacy-practice/
The holidays are behind us. The fre-e-e-zing cold has arrived in most of North America. We’re feeling a little sluggish perhaps…. and maybe need a kick in the behind to get ourselves going in...
https://aphablog.com/2014/01/05/lets-do-a-refresh-for-2014-tipping-point-for-patient-advocacy/
If anyone decides one day to research and write the history of private, independent patient advocacy, they will likely put the genesis of the profession as 2009, when the first two advocacy organ...
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...
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 t...
https://aphablog.com/2013/12/09/insurance-reimbursements-for-patient-advocates/
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 he...
https://aphablog.com/2013/12/01/dont-let-the-yesbuts-stand-in-your-way/
(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 e...
https://aphablog.com/2013/11/24/tis-the-season-to-extend-your-outreach/
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 str...
https://aphablog.com/2013/11/18/riddle-me-this-then-take-a-step-back/
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, ...
https://aphablog.com/2013/11/10/what-patients-fear-the-waiter-will-spit-in-their-soup/
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...
https://aphablog.com/2013/11/04/remember-cats-cradle-how-to-use-it-to-build-your-advocacy-practice/
Sometimes a conversation gets started in our APHA Forum that brings me up short. (One reason I SO love the Forum!) One of those conversations was kicked off this week by a member who posed a ques...
https://aphablog.com/2013/10/20/is-grampa-packin-heat-and-other-considerations-for-advocates/
OK – so I confess. I talk baby talk to my dog. He’s little, and snuggly, and adorable – and it’s just so easy to call him cutesy names and fall into that simplification of short sentences...
https://aphablog.com/2013/10/14/a-surefire-way-to-drive-older-clients-away/
One aspect of healthcare that not enough people understand is about the role of technology for providing medical services: how it should be used, when it should be used, and why it should be used...
https://aphablog.com/2013/10/06/hi-tech-scalability-and-the-human-role-of-health-advocates/
Do you consider yourself a Certified Patient Advocate or Certified Health Advocate? I hate to burst bubbles here, but no matter who you are, or what courses or programs you have taken, no matter ...
https://aphablog.com/2013/09/30/certified-patient-or-health-advocate-here-we-go-again/
My head is still spinning from our Business and Marketing Workshop Experience in Chicago over the weekend. While I’ve already told you how United Airlines tried to ruin the experience for me, I...
https://aphablog.com/2013/09/23/and-a-great-time-and-some-great-learning-was-had-by-all/
If I never fly United Airlines again, it will be too soon. They have violated my trust over and over again. And I can’t be the only one. It’s a miracle they stay in business. And as I went in...
https://aphablog.com/2013/09/22/flying-the-not-so-friendly-skies-can-teach-us-all-a-lesson/
The collision of my two professional worlds is keeping me up at night. It provides a cautionary tale for private, independent patient advocates. Not all readers of this blog know that I have my f...
https://aphablog.com/2013/09/15/the-tragedies-that-keep-me-up-at-night/
With only two weeks to go before our Alliance of Professional Health Advocates Business & Marketing workshops, we still have a few seats left! I know that in the past when I’ve been on the fenc...
… seem to change. Yes – I know that’s not the way that saying is supposed to go, but in this case, it’s true. Healthcare – and the pursuit if its best outcomes – changes constantly. J...
https://aphablog.com/2013/09/02/the-more-things-change-the-more-they/
The healthcare reform law called the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – or Obamacare if you prefer the moniker (preferences seem to run about 50/50) – is being implemented over time. Of course, as m...
Suppose you wake up one morning, and realize as you make your way to the kitchen that someone has broken in overnight and stolen your belongings! You never heard anything – you slept right thro...
Updated 8/2019* I suspect you were raised just like I was. As a polite young lady, one who knew and followed the rules of etiquette (a l those mavens of etiquette, Amy Vanderbilt and Emily Post),...
If you’re a parent, you know you’ve been asked this question: Which of your children is your favorite? Of course, there’s no way to answer that question! Because even if you have a favorite...
I know. Those two terms – insurance and success strategies – rarely show up in the same sentence in the patient advocate world, right? So bear with me. I follow a company called IDEO on Twitt...
https://aphablog.com/2013/07/14/what-do-insurance-and-success-strategies-have-in-common/
At the mid-year point, past the July 4th holiday…. time to take stock. All those resolutions I made on January 1 – how have I done? How many have I checked off my list? True confession time: ...
https://aphablog.com/2013/07/07/mid-year-resolution-checkup-what-have-you-accomplished/
Hey y’all! If someone had asked you on the June 20, 2013 to describe Paula Deen, you might have described her as a bubbly, vivacious, popular Food Network star, author, well-merchandised cook o...
https://aphablog.com/2013/06/30/what-private-patient-advocates-can-learn-from-paula-deen/
(Can’t you just hear Ringo in your ear? and yes, if you understand that reference, you’re dating yourself!) This week I was reminded several times about all the folks who are trying to develo...
https://aphablog.com/2013/06/24/we-get-by-with-a-little-help-from-our-friends/
Suppose you are asleep one night, and the police break down your front door, yank you out of bed, arrest you, and take you off to jail…. What would you do? Who would you call? It doesn’t matt...
https://aphablog.com/2013/06/10/going-to-jail-spinning-plates-peace-of-mind-and-you/
I’ve just written a post at About.com about my recent mammogram experience where the breast center I’ve gone to for more than a decade managed to dissolve my trust of their service in the spa...
https://aphablog.com/2013/05/26/suspicious-phone-call-suggests-a-way-to-garner-trust/
… and expecting different results. It’s a favorite saying of mine, which I used to have posted just above my desk as a reminder that if I wanted to improve my work (or my life!) then I needed...
https://aphablog.com/2013/05/19/insanity-is-repeating-the-same-behavior/
I truly dislike negativity. I suspect you do, too. As a kid, I would avoid arguments like the plague. I hated the upset that went along with it – that feeling of frustration, and churning in my...
(Note: June 2016 – this post is now more than 3 years old. See an update below.) In the category of “life imitates career”…. In 8+ years of blogging, and with the exception of the persona...
https://aphablog.com/2013/05/06/filling-the-gap-changes-everything-for-your-patient/
It happened one more time this week, frustrating me one more time this week, making me feel like a broken record again this week and then realizing…. hey! Why not make this point louder and cle...
If I could wave a magic wand… … and any potential private, independent patient advocate who reached out to me for support in getting his or her practice up, running, and successful would be...
https://aphablog.com/2013/04/21/what-does-it-take-to-be-an-overnight-success/
It seems that word is getting out about one of the aspects of the Affordable Care Act that hasn’t been highlighted much before now. That is, the role of “navigators” and “in-person assist...
https://aphablog.com/2013/04/07/obamacare-seeks-navigators-is-there-a-role-for-you/
The month of March 2013 brought me more opportunities than I remember in a long time to think about the reasons I do the work I do – why I have chosen my profession, what I hope to get out of i...
https://aphablog.com/2013/03/30/profession-or-calling-what-do-you-consider-your-advocacy-work/
Week after week I hear from people who are just beginning to explore the idea of becoming a private health advocate. They have just heard of the possibility, or they want to know if there really ...
You’ve run into a hurdle with your advocacy work. Maybe your client has a challenge you can’t seem to solve for him, or the hospital is standing between you and your client’s medical record...
https://aphablog.com/2013/03/17/imagine-a-friends-night-out-and-dial-a-mentor-all-rolled-into-one/
(With apologies to Canadian advocates – this post is targeted to taxpayers in the United States.) This question pops up about this time each year – whether or not patient advocacy services ar...
https://aphablog.com/2013/03/10/tax-time-can-your-clients-deduct-your-patient-advocacy-services/
The quick answer to that question: it depends on how far away you define horizon. The more accurate answer to that question: a definite maybe. The more exciting answer to that question: yes! And ...
https://aphablog.com/2013/03/01/is-patient-advocacy-certification-on-the-horizon/
(Updated February 2019) Since the first of the year, we’ve had a record number of applications for membership in the Alliance of Professional Health Advocates (APHA), in particular those who wa...
https://aphablog.com/2013/02/24/ticked-off-applicants-help-us-clarify-the-mission/
Last week I had the opportunity to speak to two groups of hospital quality personnel; those folks who work in hospitals who are charged with overseeing the safety of their patients. They are QIOS...
https://aphablog.com/2013/02/17/hospital-providers-come-to-advocates-defense/
One of the most valuable resources any profession has is access to other people who are also invested in the interests of that profession. The internet and social media, of course, provide an opp...
https://aphablog.com/2013/02/10/bring-it-on-forum-fireworks-erupt-again/
Just in the past week alone, I’ve been asked three times why someone would hire a private patient advocate when there are so many other forms of help available. What other forms would those be?...
https://aphablog.com/2013/02/03/an-advocates-allegiance-makes-all-the-difference/
I’m really angry at the investment firm Morgan Stanley – really angry. I have had to deal with them since my father died, trying to manage and move a small IRA my sisters and I inherited, and...
https://aphablog.com/2013/01/28/if-i-could-file-a-lawsuit-i-would/
In an email conversation recently with the administrator of a new advocacy program (which will open up to new students in Fall 2013), I was asked where I saw the role of health and patient advoca...
https://aphablog.com/2013/01/13/clearing-up-a-misperception-about-patient-advocacy/
Like most of us, I get quite introspective the first of each year. Not so much in the making-resolutions sense. Rather in the “it’s time to get going” sense – after the pause of the holid...
https://aphablog.com/2013/01/07/time-to-kick-start-your-advocacy-in-the-new-year/
The healthcare times, they are a-changing! As we wrap up 2012 and look forward to next year (or perhaps, by the time you read this, it will already be 2013), there are a number of issues and chal...
There is no time like the present to keep your clients out of the hospital. Just raising the issue may make you a hero to them. I realize how dramatic that sounds, but bear with me here. Think ab...
https://aphablog.com/2012/12/16/holiday-hospital-dangers-spell-hero-for-patient-advocates/
It was an incredible collection of professionals representing a wide spectrum of private and hospital advocacy. Men, women, younger (20-somethings), older (70-somethings), newbies (“I’m still...
https://aphablog.com/2012/12/10/plenty-of-disruption-at-the-ppai-conference/
It’s the best kind of marketing tip. There’s no cost to execute, it doesn’t take much time, and if your target audience is seniors, it’s a sure fire way to put you in front of them, provi...
https://aphablog.com/2012/12/03/seize-the-moment-a-free-and-easy-marketing-tip-for-advocates/
If you aren’t aware of the Society for Participatory Medicine, you should be. The organization’s membership is comprised of people who work or seek healthcare who promote participation, colla...
https://aphablog.com/2012/11/25/a-new-tool-for-choosing-providers-and-you-can-help/
While Superstorm Sandy made an attempt to put the kibosh on this year’s NAHAC Conference (National Association of Health Advocacy Consultants), she could not dampen the spirits, nor the passion...
https://aphablog.com/2012/11/05/professionalism-ratchets-up-a-notch-at-the-2012-nahac-conference/
Three years ago when we launched AdvoConnection as both the directory patients and caregivers can use to find a patient or health advocate to help them… AND…. the membership organization that...
https://aphablog.com/2012/10/29/were-official-meet-the-alliance-of-professional-health-advocates/
Among the dozens of details that needed attention after my father died, was figuring out what to do with the virtual pharmacy we found in his apartment. Dad was a firm believer of better living t...
https://aphablog.com/2012/10/21/advocate-for-patients-and-the-environment-too/
I’ve just returned from Florida, having spent almost two weeks with my sisters, taking care of details since Dad died. There were plenty of tears – of course. But even more, there was laughte...
My father, Richard F. Torrey (known to friends as Dick), passed away yesterday, Sunday, September 30th. He was a remarkable man who led a remarkable life. I tell you this because part of Dad’s ...
https://aphablog.com/2012/10/01/the-lessons-we-will-learn-from-dad/
Coming Soon! I’m happy to announce that my next book is now in the hands of the publisher, in the final stages of being edited, prepped and printed: The Health Advocate’s Start and Grow Your ...
https://aphablog.com/2012/09/16/start-and-grow-your-independentprivate-advocacy-practice/
With the national presidential conventions behind us, and particularly if you live in a swing state, you know that the political campaigning, dressed as attacks and vitriol, is only revving up (a...
https://aphablog.com/2012/09/10/dont-let-your-cause-be-the-cause-of-lost-business/
As private, independent health advocates are very aware, there is no nationally (or internationally) recognized certification for our profession. As such, there is no recognized – or expected �...
Something I’ve noticed over the past two years or so is that people who write to me for help seem to be getting increasingly belligerent when they don’t like the information I share, or reply...
There is a drug I take, which I have taken for years, which I order from one of the large mail-order benefits companies. Every 90 days or so, I log on, wend my way to ‘refill your prescription�...
https://aphablog.com/2012/08/12/private-independent-and-possibly-confusing/
Like many of you, I have been glued to the Olympics for more than a week. I stay up very late every night (and have to drag myself out of bed in the morning!) to watch athletes who can twist or t...
Friend of health and patient advocates and NAVIGATORs everywhere, Elisabeth Russell, forwarded a link to many of us this week – an article from the National Cancer Institute regarding the use o...
https://aphablog.com/2012/07/29/whats-in-a-name-a-caveat-for-navigators/
It’s official and it’s not going away. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as healthcare reform, or the ACA, is changing the face of healthcare for every American. The ...
https://aphablog.com/2012/07/16/what-health-advocates-need-to-know-about-the-affordable-care-act/
All patients and caregivers have questions for health advocates. Just like they have questions for their doctors, or nurses (or the Internet!), they have questions about navigating the craziness ...
https://aphablog.com/2012/07/08/ask-a-health-advocate-makes-its-debut/
Over the past few years, increasingly, I hear from patients who (usually after hospitalization) feel that they have been unfairly billed for medical services.They contact me because they find an ...
https://aphablog.com/2012/06/25/how-health-advocates-can-save-their-clients-money/
Those of you who know me beyond my work with AdvoConnection may know that my roots – the reason I started AdvoConnection – came from patient empowerment – specifically the recognition that ...
Maybe twenty years ago, I read a Dear Abby column that went something like: “Dear Abby, When I was younger, I wanted to be a doctor when I grew up. But life got in the way – I got married, ha...
https://aphablog.com/2012/06/10/dear-abby-lights-a-fire-under-health-advocates-too/
If only my closets, cupboards and drawers were as cleaned out as the AdvoConnection websites are today! AC Members know that during the weekend, we moved – moved servers that is. Moved the 3,91...
A 58-year old man learns he has early stage prostate cancer. His urologist suggests he wait for a few months so they can test him again, then decide whether he needs treatment. But the man decide...
https://aphablog.com/2012/05/20/just-who-is-making-your-clients-medical-decisions/
You know the problem: clients contact you at the point they are desperate, or almost desperate. They’ve received a massive hospital bill – or worse – they received one months ago and haven�...
https://aphablog.com/2012/05/14/quick-pre-paid-access-to-a-health-advocate/
My travels over the past two weeks have ultimately taken me to Florida where I’ll be staying for awhile to spend time with my dad. It’s the latest in many, many visits, which I mention only b...
https://aphablog.com/2012/05/06/where-do-spirituality-and-religion-come-in/
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 f...
https://aphablog.com/2012/04/29/getting-your-clients-past-magical-thinking/
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 ...
https://aphablog.com/2012/04/22/whats-a-bad-outcome-and-where-does-the-fault-lie/
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 t...
https://aphablog.com/2012/04/16/just-how-many-patient-advocates-are-there/
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 “d...
https://aphablog.com/2012/04/01/setting-new-standards-for-a-new-profession-your-chance-to-help/
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 ste...
https://aphablog.com/2012/03/26/more-on-the-paralysis-of-analysis-its-all-about-the-m-words/
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 f...
https://aphablog.com/2012/03/11/recognizing-private-professional-patient-advocates/
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 ch...
https://aphablog.com/2012/03/01/and-the-2012-schueler-patient-advocacy-compass-award-winner-is/
In less than one week, we will be announcing the winner of this year’s Schueler Patient Advocacy Compass Award. This is a big deal – and not just for the winner, who will find some perks that...
https://aphablog.com/2012/02/26/lets-talk-about-excellence-in-patient-and-health-advocacy/
(Updated March 2021) It’s income tax season in the United States. Some of us have already filed our income taxes. Some have piled up those 1099s and W-2s and are mustering up the courage to mak...
https://aphablog.com/2012/02/20/patient-advocates-income-tax-deductions-guide-dogs/
(Posted February 2, 2012) One of my favorite restaurants is an Italian place called Dominick’s. The food is always delicious, the pasta, sauces and dishes are homemade (you cannot beat their me...
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...
Deviating from my usual advice or issues-type post, I have a couple of invitations for you today. In both cases you’ll be helping yourself and helping future health or patient advocates, too. I...
https://aphablog.com/2012/01/29/some-high-profile-marketing-and-a-review-opportunity-too/
I’ve been in Florida for the past week, working, advocating, feeling my jaw clench and my back go up each time I’ve seen or heard a commercial or watched a newscast that focuses on one of the...
https://aphablog.com/2012/01/23/advocacy-politics-and-the-2012-elections/
Many readers of this blog know that prior to devoting my career to patient empowerment and patient advocacy, I owned a small marketing company that worked specifically with service professionals ...
https://aphablog.com/2012/01/16/coopetition-but-dont-give-away-the-farm/
A link on Twitter precipitated today’s post and idea for you. It contains a challenge, too! See below. The tweet linked to a news article: A second set of eyes cuts errors at HCMC. It tells abo...
https://aphablog.com/2012/01/08/watching-the-headlines-for-opportunities/
Greetings at the top of new year, with hopes you had a great holiday season and you’re getting prepped for success in 2012. I always feel a bit of inertia after taking a break, or a vacation, o...
https://aphablog.com/2012/01/02/a-one-word-resolution-for-all-advocates/
It’s a big question among patient and health advocates – whether or not someone is considered “certified” as a patient advocate. Last week I answered a question that came from an advocate...
https://aphablog.com/2011/12/11/why-we-should-avoid-using-the-title-certified-patient-advocate/
Attendees at our recent AdvoConnection Business Institute had a variety of topics and issues they wanted to discuss. Follow up surveys and emails produced even more, including some questions that...
https://aphablog.com/2011/12/04/revisiting-education-and-patient-advocates-certification/
(Originally published in November 2011. Updated November 2019) One of our APHA members got in touch after a talk he gave to his local Rotary Club. He was disappointed in the turn-out and wondered...
https://aphablog.com/2011/11/27/putting-word-of-mouth-to-work-for-you/
Just so you know we pay attention, three important concerns have popped up about the Schueler Compass Award, the award recently announced at the AdvoConnection conference. These concerns came in ...
https://aphablog.com/2011/11/21/clarifications-and-an-update-on-the-schueler-compass-award/
A tipping point: a dictionary definition will tell you that it means “the crisis stage in a process, when significant change takes place.” And for patient and health advocacy – we are almos...
https://aphablog.com/2011/11/14/patient-advocacy-on-the-cusp-of-the-tipping-point/
The first AdvoConnection Business Institute is behind us – a grand learning time was had by all. During the conference, the establishment of the H. Kenneth Schueler Patient Advocacy Compass Awa...
https://aphablog.com/2011/11/06/first-schueler-compass-award-winners/
As announced this morning at the AdvoConnection Business Institute, and in honor of the spirit, legacy and memory of Ken Schueler, our friend and colleague who passed away last spring, we’d lik...
https://aphablog.com/2011/11/03/announcement-the-ken-schueler-patient-advocacy-compass-award/
For many years I’ve heard from patients across the country with questions about their healthcare. Not medical questions; rather questions about something in the healthcare system that isn’t w...
https://aphablog.com/2011/10/24/and-above-all-establish-trust/
My last two posts have focused on why it’s important for those who want to succeed as private patient advocates realize that their success won’t rely on just their advocacy skills. The bottom...
https://aphablog.com/2011/10/02/tooting-your-own-horn-and-playing-a-tune-people-want-to-hear/
There’s a guy who has developed the formula for determining winning lotto numbers correctly 92.6% of the time. He’s so good at determining those winning numbers that all 50 states, plus the I...
https://aphablog.com/2011/09/26/your-success-as-a-patient-advocate-isnt-about-you/
(Originally published September 2011. Updated September 2019) Fireworks erupted in the APHA Forum recently. I call them fireworks because those involved are so passionate about their work – no ...
https://aphablog.com/2011/09/19/who-is-qualified-to-be-a-patient-advocate/
Most members of AdvoConnection are aware of the upcoming Business Institute, but for those of you who aren’t members – you are invited, too! The cost to attend goes up this week, so this is t...
Two years ago today, we launched AdvoConnection as the premier directory for patients and caregivers to find a health or patient advocate or navigator, and to support the business starting and gr...
https://aphablog.com/2011/09/01/happy-birthday-advoconnection-will-you-help-us-celebrate/
I’ve just returned from a marvelous week visiting with, and participating in, patient empowerment and advocacy experiences that included activities like video, webinars, panel discussions and p...
https://aphablog.com/2011/08/28/what-shall-we-call-ourselves/
In a conversation with a group of friends, Lisa told us she has decided to buy her first house. She feels like the market is right – prices are low, interest rates are low – so why not take t...
https://aphablog.com/2011/08/21/a-patient-advocate-is-just-like/
Several months ago I wrote about the tendency of big-hearted advocates to over-extend themselves with volunteer work; that when someone needs their help, but doesn’t have the means to pay them,...
It arrived in my email a few days ago – a demand for a reply. It came from a person who reads my articles at About.com. She had sent me a question the day before regarding trouble she was havin...
https://aphablog.com/2011/07/31/yoms-and-that-sense-of-entitlement/
(No – that’s not Dad in the photo – but this gentleman is quite representative!) Last week I shared notes from my father’s hospital bedside as he began his recovery from back surgery. The...
https://aphablog.com/2011/07/24/advocating-its-like-nailing-jello-to-a-tree/
Dad had back surgery Friday morning. As many of you know, I don’t ordinarily work as a patient advocate. My work is about supporting patient advocates – so I look at these kinds of experience...
https://aphablog.com/2011/07/18/notes-from-the-hospital-bedside/
When I glance at the many topics our AdvoConnection members post about in the Forum, I find certain people posting on certain kinds of topics. That leads me to believe that they have special inte...
https://aphablog.com/2011/07/10/using-patient-advocacy-marketing-specialties-and-niches/
Lately I’ve run into questions and discussions about patient advocates or navigators and HIPAA, so it seems a good topic for today’s post. I’ll begin with a disclaimer: there’s no one on ...
https://aphablog.com/2011/06/27/patient-advocates-and-hipaa/
To say my trek to Alaska was overwhelmingly positive wouldn’t begin to touch the real experience. Alaska itself was glaciers, salmon, midnight sun, king crab legs, and learning that in Fairbank...
https://aphablog.com/2011/06/20/improving-patient-relationships-what-i-told-the-providers/
Ilene Corina is a long-time patient safety advocate who often sits by patients’ bedsides in hospitals to keep them safe during their hospital stays. A recent blog post of hers asks the question...
https://aphablog.com/2011/06/12/what-do-your-patient-clients-expect-from-you/
(Originally posted June 2011. Updated June 2019) The health and patient advocates who are listed at AdvoConnection are all private practice advocates; that is, they work directly for patients and...
https://aphablog.com/2011/06/05/the-great-divide-the-haves-and-have-nots/
One of my favorite things about patient advocates and navigators is that they are very generous, kind and giving people. They figure out what needs to be done, and they step up to the plate to do...
Ken Schueler, perhaps the godfather of patient advocacy, a mentor to many of us, and a dear friend of mine, passed away Thursday morning, May 19, at his mother’s home in Great Neck, NY. Ken was...
I mentioned last week that a dear friend has been diagnosed with a terminal disease. I’ve known this for several weeks now, yet it still catches in my throat many times a day. My work in patien...
https://aphablog.com/2011/05/16/craving-inside-information-from-the-outside/
A few months ago, I was invited to speak in June during a one-day program for members of the Pennsylvania Bar Association on the topic of recovering from a catastrophe. Attorneys who attend will ...
https://aphablog.com/2011/05/09/its-the-universe-calling-time-for-plan-b/
With the demise of Osama bin Laden, I’m reminded of experiences I can share with patient and health advocates and navigators that will help us do our jobs better. Many readers of this blog know...
https://aphablog.com/2011/05/02/what-health-advocates-can-learn-from-911/
During the past few years of connecting with patient advocates and navigators, I’ve asked dozens (maybe hundreds) of people why they chose patient advocacy work. Each person has one, individual...
https://aphablog.com/2011/04/24/why-do-you-choose-to-be-a-patient-advocate-or-navigator/
A recent post from a member advocate in our AdvoConnection Forum asked if any of our members have experience with working with self-funded insurance to offer patient advocacy services. Wouldn’t...
https://aphablog.com/2011/04/11/insurance-reimbursements-not-exactly-a-pot-of-gold/
I’m excited to announce the launch of the new website (and therefore the agenda) for this year’s AdvoConnection Business Institute! This is something AdvoConnection’s members have requested...
https://aphablog.com/2011/04/04/calling-all-health-advocates-and-those-who-wish-to-be-one/
If you know and understand healthcare reform in the United States,
please raise your hand and shout “I do!” <
https://aphablog.com/2011/03/28/health-advocacy-and-healthcare-reform/
Last week we recognized Private Professional Patient Advocates Week, and across the country, some great stories showed up in newspapers, on TV, online and in radio broadcasts sharing stories of p...
https://aphablog.com/2011/03/20/and-now-a-word-for-patients/
Patient advocates and navigators are my heroes. As such, I am thrilled to announce the first Private Professional Patient Advocates Week (planned to be an annual event) – a week of recognizing ...
https://aphablog.com/2011/03/14/private-professional-patient-advocates-week/
As we prepare for Private Professional Patient Advocates Week next week, I’ve been asked by a handful of people what the difference is between a private patient advocate and any other health ad...
https://aphablog.com/2011/03/05/patient-advocacy-and-the-allegiance-factor/
One of our AdvoConnection members, Elisabeth Russell, is featured in the March issue of MORE Magazine. The story of her journey toward becoming a patient navigator is worth reading. I dare you no...
https://aphablog.com/2011/02/26/more-magazine-article-blessings-and-missed-opportunities/
I’ve wrestled with this question more than once. It’s the question raised on occasion by those who talk about universal healthcare, and a for-profit healthcare system. It’s a question asked...
https://aphablog.com/2019/07/29/going-on-offense-who-deserves-an-advocates-help/
Several questions have come my way recently about what kinds of job opportunities might exist for patient advocates. I refer people to an article I’ve written elsewhere, but the real answer is ...
https://aphablog.com/2011/02/05/can-a-true-patient-advocate-be-paid-by-someone-else/
Sooner or later, it happens to every patient advocate or navigator who works with patients on the medical aspects of their care (as opposed to other forms of advocacy, like billing or legal advoc...
https://aphablog.com/2011/01/31/lessons-from-the-loss-of-a-patient/
I was quite surprised in a conversation recently with an advocate who is not (yet) a member of AdvoConnection. OK. That’s putting it mildly. I was actually stunned. “Why do people feel well s...
https://aphablog.com/2011/01/22/doctor-recommendations-do-you-should-you/
Good primary care physicians are becoming harder and harder to find. You may not have noticed it yet, but I predict that a year from now we’ll find it almost impossible to find primary care doc...
https://aphablog.com/2011/01/15/preparing-patients-for-primary-care-troubles/
Updated March 2017 From time to time I hear from a patient who complains about a situation that occurred during a hospital stay – usually the spouse or child of a hospital patient. The great ma...
https://aphablog.com/2011/01/09/patients-advocates-in-hospitals-going-to-the-line/
This post, originally written in January 2011, was accurate at the time; there was no universally recognized patient advocacy certification. That changed in early 2018 when the first certificatio...
One of our AdvoConnection members, Ken Schueler, shared a favorite article of his, published in JAMA a couple of years ago, and a good reminder of one of our roles as patient advocates. Written b...
https://aphablog.com/2010/12/17/enough-is-enough-helping-elderly-patients-make-decisions/
One of our APHA members asked me about these differences a day or two ago… So I thought I would share my reply with you. She had called on a nursing home to see if they had interest in recommen...
In the process of writing about Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) I began looking at what constituted a “qualified medical expense,” which is the list of the...
Imagine – you suffer chest pains and are swept off to the ER. The pain meds leave you too groggy to make good decisions. Who will help you? Or – difficult symptoms result in a diagnosis that ...
https://aphablog.com/2010/11/24/why-cant-patients-be-their-own-advocates/
For the second time in just a few days, I’ve learned from an AdvoConnection advocate member that a nurse has become defensive and territorial in reaction to his choice of career. Now, please kn...
https://aphablog.com/2010/11/19/dear-nurses-we-are-here-to-help/
The answer is simple. No. So why do I ask this question? Earlier this month, while attending the NAHAC Conference, the question was asked by a number of people. As if the qualification to be an e...
https://aphablog.com/2010/11/14/do-i-have-to-be-a-nurse-to-be-a-patient-advocate/
AdvoConnection’s advocates were thrilled to have been included in an article called Someone on Your Side (A new prescription for navigating the medical maze) in the August 2010 issue of O Magaz...
https://aphablog.com/2010/07/07/read-about-advoconnection-patient-advocates-in-o-magazine/
That’s a good question — what does a patient advocate do? And there are a handful of answers, depending on the kind of help you need. Some advocates help you with insurance claims, or review ...
https://aphablog.com/2010/07/04/what-does-a-patient-advocate-do/
As Every Patient’s Advocate, the most frequent request I hear is to try to make a connection between a patient, or the loved one of a patient, and someone who can help navigate medical care on ...