We Are Advocates

What is a patient advocate?

People often ask me what a patient advocate is or what a patient advocate does. Here are a few applicable definitions of the word "Advocate"...

1. One who speaks on behalf of another (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advocate)
2. A person who pleads, intercedes, or speaks for another. (www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/mhhglo.htm)
3. A person, often a family member, who is designated to speak with healthcare providers on behalf of a patient. (www.ohpco.org/health_care_glossary.htm)

The third definition sums it up pretty well. As a patient advocate, I speak on behalf of patients. Advocacy work can take many forms. It can mean talking with a particular health care provider or insurance company on behalf of a particular patient. It can also mean bringing public attention to issues that impact our health. A good example of that is the work I do to educate people to the fact that Migraine is a genetic neurological disesae, not "just a headache."

The dynamics of health care are changing. Patients are becoming more involved, asking more questions, realizing that we are ultimately responsible for our health. Partly due to the Internet, we have more information available to us than ever before, making it easier for us to be educated patients -- able to work with our doctors and take part in the decisions affecting our health and wellbeing.

Somthing else that patient advocates do is teach patients how to be their own advocates; how to know what they can reasonably expect in a relationship with their health care team and how to achieve it.

So, who is a patient advocate? A patient advocate can be someone like me who helps people with problem situations and strives to educate patients, physicians, and the general public on both health issues and communication issues. But, we should all learn how to be patient advocates in our own right when it come to issues involving us or our family.

As this blog develops, you'll find a wide variety of posts. We'll talk about advocacy issues pertaining to particular conditions, general issues, how to advocate for ourselves, and more. I hope you'll return and join me on a regular basis.

Live well,

A new venture... podcasting!

There's no doubt that "multimedia" is popular online. It's also known that people learn differently. Some learn best by reading (visual), some by hearing (auditory), some by doing (kinesthetic.) These are both reasons why podcasting has become so popular and is a quickly growing medium.

For some time now, I've thought that a weekly podcast about Migraine disease and headaches could be a valuable tool, not only for patients, but for their families, coworkers, friends, and others impacted by these disorders. This week, that became a reality with the launch of MigraineCast at www.MigraineCast.com. Oh, and if you have requests for topics to be covered in future episodes of MigraineCast, be sure to leave me a comment!
 

If you suffer from Migraines or headaches or know someone who does, please go listen to the podcast. The first episode is, "Migraines - What Are They, Really," and it's available now. A new episode will be available every Tuesday.