Patient Advocacy | Trisha Torrey

Why Does the US Have the Worst Rate of Preventable Deaths Among Industrialized Nations?

1 Comment / Health /Medical Consumerism, Health Insurance, Healthcare Quality, Media, Medical and Research Studies, Medical Errors / Mistakes / Misdiagnosis, Patient Advocacy, Patient Empowerment, Patient Safety, Patient Tools, Self Help

From 2002 to 2003, about 101,000 Americans died from preventable causes ranging from diabetes to bacterial infections and surgical complications, so says a study releases this week. The reports are based on results from a study undertaken by the Commonwealth Fund, a private New York City based health policy foundation. The study took place among […]

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MRSA: Victimization and Shooting the Messenger

8 Comments / Doctor Communication, Health /Medical Consumerism, Health Insurance, Healthcare Quality, Hospitals, Patient Advocacy, Patient Empowerment, Patient Safety, Patient Tools, Self Help, Surgery

Yesterday’s post, where I told the stories of three (+2) victims of MRSA infections, raised ire, blame and excuses from commentators and emailers alike. Never mind that they were stories of five people who are infected with MRSA, one of whom has basically been left to die. Never mind that the frustration levels of these

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MRSA: Patients Ignored, Left to Die

18 Comments / Healthcare Quality, Hospitals, Patient Advocacy, Patient Empowerment, Patient Safety, Patient Tools, Politics and Medicine, Surgery

(Find an update to this post: MRSA, Victimization and Shooting the Messenger) (And a further update, posted 8 months later: MRSA: Patient Ignored, Left to Die — Redux) In the past two days, I have heard three stories, all related to MRSA and other hospital acquired staph infections, and all relating to heinous — even

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Dad — an Empowered Patient Sets a Fine Example

Health /Medical Consumerism, Healthcare Quality, Media, Medical Errors / Mistakes / Misdiagnosis, Patient Advocacy, Patient Empowerment, Patient Tools, Pharmaceutical Drugs

…. and today is his 81st birthday. When people ask me how and why I began doing patient advocacy and empowerment work, I first tell them about my misdiagnosis, and then I tell them it’s because I learned how to be an empowered patient from my dad. Since beginning his battle with cancer in 1986

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Dad — an Empowered Patient Sets a Fine Example

Health /Medical Consumerism, Healthcare Quality, Media, Patient Advocacy, Patient Empowerment, Patient Tools, Pharmaceutical Drugs

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Health Insurance = Better Health (No kidding)

1 Comment / Health /Medical Consumerism, Health Insurance, Healthcare Quality, Medical and Research Studies, Patient Advocacy, Patient Empowerment, Patient Tools

A report issued this week by JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, reviews a study done by Harvard about the health of Americans and their access to health insurance. More than 7,000 people ages 55 to 72 were studied. More than 2,200 of them had no health insurance to begin with, but were

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Lot’s ‘o Topics – Find Links Here

Health /Medical Consumerism, Health Insurance, Healthcare Quality, Media, Patient Advocacy, Patient Empowerment, Patient Safety, Patient Tools, Self Help

It’s been a busy several days — as the holiday season always is. Haven’t written anything new on this blog for your consideration, but I have been busy! Here are the topics I’ve covered, and links so you can find them: What about Nataline? The 17-year-old who got caught in the crossfire over insurance coverage,

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