- “If I could do anything as a Health Activist...” Think big today! Money/ time/ physical limitations are no longer an issue. What is your biggest goal that is now possible?
- What’s your one, three, or five year plan for your Health Activism?
I have so many aspirations as a health activist, but first and foremost, this: I want to make access to a patient advocate readily available in as many hospitals as I can reach. Being ill is so scary; sometimes it's nearly impossible to coordinate appointment times, get doctors to communicate with each other, and line up outside help for tasks of daily living. But with access to a patient advocate, that could change. There would be someone to help you along in the process. A patient advocacy program would save money in the long run, because coordinated care means fewer unnecessary tests and less time spent at the doctor. If my health weren't a factor, I'd be getting ready to pursue a masters degree in Social Work to attempt to become a patient advocate. But because there's no way this body would survive grad school, I'll just have to help by contributing to the community of patients who advocate for themselves. I hope this blog is one way I can contribute.
With health things being as they are, I'm not comfortable planning in advance. But if I could outline my ideal progression for the health care industry, it would be a steady change towards patient-centered medicine. In one year, it would be nice if doctors became aware of patient-centered medicine as a second option compared to pure by-the-book check-list medicine. In year three, I'd like to see doctors implementing this wholistic approach of focusing on the human-in-the-world on healthy patients, and in year five, I'd like to see it implemented on us, the chronically ill. I don't think we can stand for anything less.
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