DAUGHTER'S IN TOWN
PATIENT ADVOCATE
CONTACT INFO
Effective phone and on-line advocacy to patients and families anywhere in the U.S. Hands-on patient advocacy in Pittsburgh,
Allegheny County and Southwestern PA.
- Who are your clients?
A daughter living in Virginia whose father in Pittsburgh was released from a local hospital months ago as
"deceased" although he is very much alive causing Medicare to reject ongoing payments. The Los Angeles-
based stepson of an elderly man in the metro Washington DC area facing an experimental cancer treatment
and needing local assistance to help him and his wife through the process. Daughters in central Pennsylvania
who asked for but were not getting information about their father's care after heart surgery and a subsequent
infection attacked his bones requiring more surgery. A sister in western Florida who was overwhelmed trying to
coordinate her brother's care at an eastern Florida rehabilitation facility after his unexpected and difficult
hospitalization. The out-of-state children of an elderly woman with lots of health issues in Western
Pennsylvania who required assistance and hands-on oversight in getting appropriate care and rehabilitation.
A Seattle daughter whose father was quickly losing the use of his legs and whose neurologist in a small town in
Ohio was unable to diagnose the problem.
- Why is it important to have someone advocate for a patient?
Because the American health care system is broken and patients are dying because of avoidable errors,
infections and miscommunication. Physicians and nurses are overworked and distracted. Hospital patient
advocates work for the hospital, not the patient. Many physicians have gigantic, disorganized practices. If
someone doesn't work entirely on behalf of the patient, substandard care may very well result.
Research and my experience show that doctors do not generally help their patients make informed decisions.
Have you been rushed through appointments and not really understood what was said? Someone has to ask
questions, get understandable answers and make sure that what's supposed to happen does happen.
- Shouldn't you be a doctor or nurse or at least a social worker to advocate effectively for
a patient?
No. I am abundantly qualified to do my job. I offer practical advice and intervention for surviving hospitalizations
and getting medical professionals to do what they're supposed to do and you don't need a medical degree of
any kind to do that. Most medical professionals who call themselves advocates won't give medical advice
anyway: the liability is too great.
- I'm trying to coordinate my father's care but no one is taking my concerns or
questions seriously. Can you assist me?
I'll coach you through the process, help you anticipate needs and facilitate the important discussions that need
to take place so that you have a better understanding of what's happening and what can be done. Locally, I will
personally and appropriately represent you and your family.
- What do you know that the health care professionals don't?
When it comes to advocacy, a lot. I know about resources that are available that they may not be aware of. I
have unique techniques for getting information and results. I've even made suggestions to health care
professionals who agreed that what I was suggesting made a lot of sense but hadn't occurred to them.
- My parents don't live in Pennsylvania and I don't have the time to research health
advocacy and care alternatives for them; I don't know where to start. Can you help
me?
I can do the research for you and provide information you need to make better decisions regarding care. I can
also help you identify resources that may not have occurred to you. This can be especially useful if your
parents don't live in or near a large city.
- Do you make decisions regarding my parents' care?
I do not make decisions but I will make recommendations. Locally, I gather information and report to you and to
your parents so that you can make informed decisions in concert with your own conversations with doctors and
medical staff. I am your eyes and ears at doctor appointments, in the hospital and in rehab and in the early
stages of follow-up home health care. Ideally, I work in partnership with your family and with the health care
professionals responsible for your parents' care.
Via telephone calls and e-mail I can help you prepare for your parents' or your hospitalization and help you
throughout the process.
- What makes you different from a case manager or hospital social worker? Don't they
do the same thing for free?
I work solely on behalf of the patient and his or her family. They work for the hospital and in the hospital's
interests. Further, I've found that they don't have a lot of time to help families with the nuts and bolts of health
care and hospitalizations. They're generally overloaded with work.
- Aren't there services provided by non-profit organizations and government entities
providing this kind of assistance?
No. I used to think so but experience tells me otherwise.
- Doesn't the independent/assisted living facility that my parent lives in provide this kind
of help already?
Probably not. Some independent/assisted living facilities say they provide someone to accompany residents to
doctor appointments. They even call them patient advocates. But I don't know of any anywhere who assist
patients and families the way that I do and I've done a lot of research.
- Do you work with non-elderly individuals who don't have anyone to help them?
My service is available to anyone who needs a voice in health care planning and process regardless of age.