Dear HealthAdvocateX Community, | |
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As I am writing this, it is hard to imagine a world without Dale Reisner, MD in it…but sadly we have learned that she died unexpectedly in her sleep in August. Dale Reisner served as a Board Member from 2015 to 2023 and was a leader in health advocacy and maternal health.
Dale was an integral part of our HealthAdvocateX (formerly WASHAA) braintrust, guiding our organization from small state-organization to one of the leading health advocacy organizations in the country. Over the years, she many significant contributions by providing the medical provider and large hospital perspective. She was also a pioneer in integrating Doula presence in the hospital and believed that independent health advocates similarly helped patients and their families. As the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, she gave us a front-line view of how hospitals in Washington state and around the world were preparing. She was the leader in helping our community separate myths from facts in our ‘Community Conversations,’ which launched March 30, 2020 through HealthAdvocateX as a free, weekly virtual meeting that hosted well-known experts in many fields related to what we were learning real-time about this novel virus and pandemic. She continued to lead the medical public health updates through 2023 and came back for a COVID Update on our Community Conversation in April 2024.
Dale was not only a colleague but close personal friend, mentor, teacher. Her death is a shock but her impact is lasting. Please join me in remembering Dale by supporting health advocacy!
Here’s to your good health,
Robin and the Team at HealthAdvocateX
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Dale Reisner, MD and Robin Shapiro – 2016 | |
Dale Reisner, MD showing us how to wear masks effectively in the early days of the pandemic – 2020 | |
Dale Reisner, MD, leading COVID-19 Community Conversation 2019 | |
Community Conversation - September 9, 2024 | |
"Ozempic Face": The Facts and Media's Spin on Anti-Obesity Medications
When: September 9, 2024 | 11am – 12:00pm (PT)
Where: Online via Zoom (Register Here)
Cost: FREE! Also available for 1.0 BCPA CE
This Community Conversation dives into the media frenzy surrounding anti-obesity medications like Ozempic. Our presenter, Dr. Samatha Pabich, will separate facts from misconceptions, clarifying what these drugs do, how they work, and addressing the sensationalist claims. Join us as we parse through the media's spin, uncovering the truth about these medications and their real impact on health.
Learning Objectives:
- Define what these drugs are, possible side-effects and their safety record.
- Why would we need to take these drugs forever and is that a good fact?
- Where do we stand on generic versions of this drug?
- What are the health benefits of these drugs?
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Sam Pabich (MD, MPH) is a Wisconsin-based endocrinologist, obesity medicine specialist, public health/clinical researcher, bike commuter and mother of two tiny dictators. She is devoted to promoting understanding of obesity as a chronic disease, and taking initiatives to prevent it and treat it.
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Case Review - September 19, 2024 | |
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Navigating Complex Chronic Illness: A Case Study of Patient Advocacy
When: September 19, 2024 | 5:00 - 6:30 pm (PT)
Where: Online via Zoom (Register Here)
Cost: This event is free to attend for Professional Members of HealthAdvocateX, in good standing. It is also available for 1.0 BCPA CE for $15. For Non-members, the cost is $40.
This Case Review chronicles the journey of a client who struggled with complex chronic illnesses, including adrenal insufficiency, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), and severe gastrointestinal issues. Despite their knowledge and advocacy, the client faced numerous challenges, including frequent emergency room visits, difficulty with medical staff, and inadequate pain management. This case highlights the efforts to secure appropriate medical care, the complications arising from their conditions, and the eventual tragic outcome due to septic shock and adrenal crisis. It serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities in managing rare and chronic illnesses and the importance of patient-centered care.
Learning Objectives
- Making sure in all cases, especially complicated ones, that all of the providers are aware of all of the medical issues at hand.
- Clients with chronic illnesses need psychiatric treatment too.
- The need to empower our clients to advocate for themselves in addition to us and their families.
CE will be in Mental Health, General Education and Ethics.
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 |  | Melina Oien, BCPA has been in health advocacy for over 20 years. Melina is a Board Certified Patient Advocate, and holds a Master’s degree in Health Advocacy. She has been interviewed for articles published by Kaiser Health News and Associated Press, and currently works with two nonprofit health advocacy organizations in addition to working directly with patients through her advocacy business. She has volunteered time teaching patients and families how to find and access supports outside of health care to augment care needs, or to fill in the gap where health care stops but medical needs do not. Melina’s background includes advocacy in diagnosis and management of rare diseases, chronic diseases, pediatric and young adult care, and has worked extensively with patients and family members of those with developmental disabilities. Having experienced personally and witnessed many others experience how detrimental barriers in care are to patients’ wellbeing and outcomes, her passion and belief in the need for health advocacy has continued to grow as her experiences have taken her across a spectrum of care as caregiver, patient, and professional advocate.
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Networking Event - September 26, 2024 | |
Networking Event: Things We Learned at the Summit and Why HealthAdvocateX (HAdvX)
When: September 26, 2024 | 4 pm – 5:30pm (PT)
Where: Online via Zoom (Register Here)
Cost: FREE for all!
Join us for the first networking event in our new series—free for all attendees this time only! This interactive session where we’ll share key takeaways from the Health Advocate Summit and explore the value of being a part of the HealthAdvocateX Community and Membership. This event is designed to foster connections, share experiences, and discuss how HAdvX can be a valuable resource for you.
Learning Objectives:
- What We Learned from the summit and lessons that can enhance your practice.
- Why Attend the Conference: Understand the benefits of attending the Summit and how it can contribute to your professional growth.
- Learn why joining HealthAdvocateX is a valuable step and how it can benefit you and your colleagues.
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Sarah Jane Yang is a Care Advocate and Master’s level registered nurse with experience managing complex medical cases and navigating in-hospital services.
Sarah Jane’s background as an ICU and ER nurse gives her special insight to support multifaceted health challenges. Her experience as a hospital administrator provides a solid foundation navigating the “behind the scenes” complexities of the entire healthcare system including communicating with medical personnel in hospital settings, medical coding, insurance contracts and payment denials.
The passion to educate and empower patients drives Sarah Jane’s advocacy above all else. She envisions a world where no patient is too intimidated, financially marginalized or ill-informed to get their medical needs met. She understands how vulnerable the process of getting the care you need can be and she strives to provide clients with the maximum amount of independence and life quality as possible.
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 | Dr. Malynnda Johnson is an associate professor in the Department of communication, teaching mainly in the areas of health communication and media studies. She completed her PhD in 2012 at the University of WI – Milwaukee. For four years, she also served as the associate program director for the genetic counseling program. Teaching in the areas of interviewing and counseling as well as cross-cultural communication. For 15 years, most of Dr. Johnson’s research centered on how media shapes our perceptions and understanding of health topics such as HIV and STIs. She has written two books on media representations of health topics, including one on HIV and the other on neurodiversity and mental health. Currently, Dr. Johnson has shifted slightly to examining the role humor plays in our health. Additionally, she is actively working within the medical field, training patient advocates and providers on ways to improve their communication when working with minority groups (specifically, neurodiversity and transgender populations). When she is not writing, teaching, or serving her community, she is often found with her two dogs hiking or camping in the woods of Indiana. | |
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Deidra Kindred, a Texas Woman’s University nursing graduate of 2001, brings over 15 years of expertise in Cardiovascular Intensive Care and a rich background as a former Affordable Assisted Living & Services owner, 5+ years in home health nursing, 3+ years in home care infusion nursing, and 3 years as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant.
Today, she proudly owns and leads Your Health Care Nurse Advocates, PLLC. Deidra’s inspiring journey is marked by her dedication to educating individuals and families, empowering them to make informed choices. Beyond her professional accomplishments, she is a passionate foodie and avid traveler who cherishes moments with loved ones.
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We are Recruiting for New Board Members to Join HealthAdvocateX! | |
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We are opening up our application in search of some new, dynamic 2025 New Board Members to serve on the Board of Directors of HealthAdvocateX. Do you want to have fun and make an impact in the field of health advocacy? Recruiting for New Board Members to Join HealthAdvocateX! Deadline to apply is October 14, 2024. View application here.
HealthAdvocateX is a national 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization focused on helping people transform from patient to active participant and partner in their own health care. Since our founding in 2012, HealthAdvocateX has had low turn-over and high engagement from a working Board of about 12 members. We have been meeting monthly and Board Members do some work in addition to part-time paid staff.
In 2022, ten years after our founding, we began to start our succession planning as long-time board members serving on HealthAdvocateX (formerly the Washington State Health Advocacy Association) have been rotating off their planned terms.
We have at least three open Board Positions that we will be recruiting for to start in January 2025.
Our hope is that through recruitment of additional Board Members, we will continue to advance our commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access values. See our IDEA statement here.
Here are the key requirements for Board Members:
- Participate in Annual Retreat (Sat/Sunday half day virtual – Sat, Feb 22 1-5 pm PT; Sun., Feb 23 9 am – Noon PT)
- Be able to participate in the majority of Board Meetings, held virtually 90 minutes starting at 5 pm PT the third Wednesday of every month;
- Participate in committees and projects as needed;
- Be able to make an annual financial contribution (any size, something meaningful to your personal situation, ‘ give or get’);
- Connect HealthAdvocateX with people and resources that advance our mission;
- Attend virtual events
- Will consider serving on Executive Board sometime in the next four years.
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Other Events You May Be Interested In | |
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Will We See You in Las Vegas at the Health Advocate Conference?
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Join Us at the Healthcare Advocate Summit This September!
We can’t wait to connect with you at the Health Advocate Summit in Las Vegas! Be sure to visit us at our booth to learn more about our latest community updates and membership offerings.
Spotlight on Our Members: Summit Speakers
We are thrilled to highlight our members who will be presenting at the upcoming summit. Their expertise and dedication to their fields will undoubtedly inspire and educate attendees. Here’s a glimpse of who will be speaking:
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Deidra Kindred,
Your Healthcare Nurse Advocates
Presentation Topic:
Health Literacy: How to Really Understand Your Medical Treatment Plan
Thursday, September 5th
3:00 pm - 3:50 pm
Health Literacy addresses one of the most pervasive and under-recognized problem in medicine: Low levels of health literacy (the ability to obtain, understand, and use health information). Changes in the complex healthcare system with documentation and family stratetgies will be discussed along with success stories regarding reduced rehospitalizations and patient involvement.
Session objectives:
- Gain an understanding of the difficulties associated with maintaining medical records and the advantages of adopting an organized approach.
- Increase understanding of strategies to effectively overcome the challenges of keeping all healthcare professionals up to date with pertinent information.
- Learn the benefits associated with utilizing a tool specifically designed to be accessible and manageable for the aging population.
- Explore the difficulties involved in locating reliable resources for fulfilling your healthcare needs.
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Malynnda Johnson, Compassionate Navigation
Presentation Topic:
Words DO Matter: Removing Stigma by Revising Words Within
Healthcare Settings
Friday, September 6th
8:30 am - 9:30 am
Countless studies have highlighted the impact words have in healthcare settings. The ways we talk about, and to, patients can have a devastating impact on various health outcomes. As a result conversations about racism, implicit bias, and stigma have become commonplace. But what can, and should, we be doing to fix this ongoing problem?
This roundtable discussion will directly discuss how words impact our patients but will also, and more importantly, offer concrete skills and tools to be implemented immediately. Participants will be given case studies to work with during the panel to practice the skills.
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Are you a Professional Member presenting, participating in a panel, or hosting/sponsoring an activity at the conference? We want to hear all about it! Share your details with us at info@HealthAdvocateX.org. We’ll reach out to learn more about how HealthAdvocateX can support and promote you. Plus, we'll feature your speech or event in our September e-newsletter, giving it the spotlight it deserves!
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Last year we launched a five-part educational series on Transgender Advocacy that is now available for viewing and is also approved for Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.)/Ethics continuing education for Board Certified Patient Advocates. The concept behind these centers is to provide credible, understandable and actionable information on a variety of topics through the lens of health advocacy. Our first topic: Transgender Advocacy 101.
A Special Thank You
A very special thank you to Dr. Malynnda Johnson and our esteemed panelists, Kim Mcilnay, Quin Buhs, Molly Crowther, and Nancy Keller, who provided profound insights on Transgender care.
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XCenter Completion Badge
Professional CE participants of the event had the opportunity to receive an exclusive badge, which can be displayed on your profile, website, or professional platforms, signifying your completion of the XCenter Transgender Advocacy 101 event.
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It's Not Too Late
Missed the event? Don't worry! You can now purchase the content of these modules and on-demand discussions. We believe in equal access for all; if purchasing causes financial hardship, non-CE tickets are available. Reach out to info@healthadvocatex.org for assistance.
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An Organization We Are Supporting This Month That Spotlights Mental Health | |
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Event Details:
🗓️ Date: September 14, 2024
📍 Location: Magnuson Park, Seattle, WA
(or participate virtually!)
🎽 New Look: Stylish black event shirt for all participants
Whether you join us in-person or virtually, your participation helps us illuminate the path to mental health recovery. Together, we can make a difference!
Ready to join? Register Here to secure your spot and claim your new shirt.
Thank you for your continued support. We can’t wait to see you
in your black event shirt this year!
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You May Enjoy: End of Life Issues for People with Psychiatric Disorders | |
HealthAdvocateX professional member Lee Mulhert attended and recommends this free presentation available for a limited time only that might be of interest to you. It is an interesting cross between end of life issues and psychiatric disorders. View for free here: | |
Professional Membership Rates Will Increase October 1, 2024 to $125 | |
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Lock in your professional membership at $100 per year before rates increase! We just relaunched our website with new and improved offerings, including:
- Better search capabilities for our Advocate Directory
- Additional free Professional Case Review Sessions
- New Networking Events (attend for free if you are a Professional/Partner Member
- Online Classroom with discounted CE-offerings for Members (and free access to the public)
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Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Statement | |
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OUR COMMITMENT
Approved by the Board September 21, 2022
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Statement
Our mission is to help people transform into active participants and partners in their own health care. To make this possible, we must advocate for inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA) for all individuals.
We recognize that:
- Racism is a public health issue that impacts various intersections and communities differently.
- Each person is unique and therefore experiences health care differently.
- Every individual deserves health advocacy regardless of their race, ethnicity, language, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, spiritual practice, financial status, education, geography, disability, mental and physical status, age, weight, substance use disorder or other factors.
- Our organization is uniquely positioned to raise awareness on IDEA in health and health care.
We are committed to:
- Raising awareness about the importance of IDEA in health and health advocacy in all aspects of care.
- Expanding diverse representation within our organization, expert presenters, and educational offerings.
- Intentionally messaging our values, sharing IDEA expectations for ourselves, affiliated advocates, and partnering groups.
- Creating space for respectful dialogue about representation, equitable access, and inclusive practices in health care and health advocacy.
- Educating our community and participating in opportunities about IDEA events and exercises to keep these issues in the forefront of our work.
- Implementing systems to ensure IDEA is pervasive in our organization.
We will reflect on our accomplishments with humility and grace. We will recognize our limitations and remain open to what we may not see or realize so that we can improve and or repair any harm.
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HealthAdvocateX is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. We acknowledge that we are on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present, and honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe. We invite you to join us in acknowledging and thanking indigenous people for their ongoing stewardship wherever you are located.
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Land Acknowledgement Challenge
Will you help us? We invite YOU to research and submit the name of the people, your location and how you would word your own personal land acknowledgement. Our Board will be selecting and reading land acknowledgements from across the country at our Monthly Board Meetings. You can submit it here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/hadvx-land-acknowledgement
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Do you have something you would like to share with the HealthAdvocateX community?
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