Professional Health Care Navigators and Patient Advocates
Not choosing to be active in our medical choices for ourselves, ultimately is a choice – and it’s a bad one. My friend, who lives in Vancouver, is the medical representative for her 84yr father who lives in Ottawa. She has 2 brothers in Toronto who are the alternatives and a sister with some mental […]
For faster, safer care in the community, emergency room, hospital… and back home. The best way to prevent crisis is to plan ahead… and to expect the unexpected: Know your health history, your medications, and your contact information. Assign a Substitute Decision Maker or Representative – and let them know about your Values, Beliefs and […]
As we age, illness, frailty and end-of-life often creep up on us. For most of us, there is not a big diagnosis of cancer or a heart attack. It’s often just old parts, slowly breaking down. The medical system keeps fixing those parts because there is no clear line of where or when to call […]
Staying calm cool and collected during doctor’s appointments and healthcare meetings can be an incredible challenge but allowing yourself to be overly emotional can shut down doctor-patient communication in its tracks. Being overly emotional during health care appointments will reduce doctor interaction and the level of care you receive. Emotions such as being anxious or […]
The BC Medical Journal recently published a study showing that the rate of BC patients readmitted to hospitals within a short time after they had been discharged is well above the national average, and that Vancouver Coastal Health’s readmission rate is the second highest for health regions in the province. As a 30-year paramedic, this […]
Recent reports that BC has the second highest re-admission rate after hospitalization of any province in the country comes as no surprise. Patient Pathways, an independent patient navigation and advocacy company, are often called in when crises related to hospital readmissions occur. Discharge Planning is the most important part of hospitalization. Patients and loved ones […]
Empowered patients know that they are responsible for their own health, health decisions, and will assertively demand the health care they deserve. I am an Empowered Patient – and I am at Stage 4 (see below) – but I don’t expect I will remain there at all times. It is virtually impossible to remain an […]
When we are accessing medical care, we are doing so because something is wrong. Our bodies, and often our heads, aren’t operating with their usual sharp and intelligent approach to problems because we are sick and hurt. The very definition of needing healthcare is to seek treatment because something is wrong, and when we are […]
Discharge planning is the number one reason Patient Pathways is called by families and loved ones. We are asked to intervene when the hospital staff say that loved ones will be discharged today or tomorrow – and families know that the situation is just not safe or suitable. Often discharge planning (or lack of) becomes a […]
It’s time to have our eyes wide open for all of those who are aging and all who will care for them. There is a tremendous cost to families as aging parents move down the path of illness, dementia, and end-of-life. Education is paramount. Patient Pathways is ramping up our Empowered Patient & Caregiver: Advance […]