Patient Empowerment | Trisha Torrey

Making Integrative Choices – Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Doctor Communication, Health /Medical Consumerism, Healthcare Quality, Patient Empowerment, Patient Tools, Self Help

(as published in the Syracuse Post Standard, June 21, 2011) Many migraine sufferers and patients with back pain choose acupuncture to relieve their pain. Breast cancer patients are finding improved outcomes from meditation as they go through chemotherapy. Both acupuncture and meditation are considered “complementary” therapies, as are yoga, reiki, therapeutic massage and similar therapies. […]

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Is It Safe to Purchase Prescription Drugs Online?

1 Comment / Follow the Money, Health /Medical Consumerism, Patient Empowerment, Patient Safety, Patient Tools, Pharmaceutical Drugs, Privacy and Security, Self Help

(as published in the Syracuse Post Standard, June 7, 2011) One question I’m asked frequently is whether it’s safe to purchase prescription drugs on the Internet. Whether you like the convenience or hope to save money by purchasing online, the short answer is “Sure! Go for it!” But that’s followed by some cautionary advice, too.

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What Your Doctor Doesn’t Know Can Hurt You

Doctor Communication, Health /Medical Consumerism, Healthcare Quality, Patient Empowerment

(as published in the Syracuse Post Standard, May 24, 2011) Before I began my patient empowerment work, I thought a specialist was someone who had learned all the general medical information, and then chose to concentrate on that one body system or disease that held the most interest for him. Turns out, that’s not exactly

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Back in Business….

AdvoConnection, Doctor Communication, Follow the Money, Health /Medical Consumerism, Healthcare Quality, Media, Patient Advocacy, Patient Empowerment, Politics and Medicine, Self Help, You Bet Your Life!

When last I wrote, I’d been catching up after a whirlwind Fall travel season. And here I find myself catching up after another crazy six weeks… I don’t just bow out completely, even if it seems so. I’m blogging in other places, like About.com and the AdvoConnection blog, plus I have been promoting my new

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Where’ve You Been Trisha?

AdvoConnection, Health /Medical Consumerism, Medical Errors / Mistakes / Misdiagnosis, Patient Advocacy, Patient Empowerment, Patient Safety, Self Help

Wish I had a nickel for each of the emails I’ve received from people who have followed this blog of mine…. Where have I been? It’s a fair question. It’s been months since I’ve blogged here… because, well, I’ve been doing my Willie Nelson thang… on the road again…. See all those stars on the

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“Give Us Our Damned Data” Causes the First Meltdown in Awhile

8 Comments / Healthcare Quality, Hospitals, Medical Errors / Mistakes / Misdiagnosis, Medical Records, Patient Advocacy, Patient Empowerment, Patient Safety, Patient Tools

Regina Holliday and Dr. Ted Eytan Photo compliments of R2DC on Flickr Regina Holliday’s husband, Fred, age 39, died of cancer in June 2009 leaving his wife, and his two young, beautiful children behind. During their journey through the healthcare system to try to get Fred the help he needed, too many hurdles were

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Uh-oh Video! (Can’t escape it…)

1 Comment / Healthcare Quality, Hospitals, Media, Medical and Research Studies, Patient Advocacy, Patient Empowerment, Surgery, You Bet Your Life!

When it comes to TV and video, Al Roker provides one of my favorite quotations: “They say the camera adds 10 pounds. OK. So I figure I must be standing in front of 10 cameras.” Oh, yes, Al. I know how you feel…. However — I’ve decided to come out of my video-avoidance closet to

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O! Fun to be Found in O Magazine

4 Comments / AdvoConnection, Health /Medical Consumerism, Healthcare Quality, Patient Advocacy, Patient Empowerment

In the five years I’ve been working on patient empowerment and patient advocacy, I’ve been thrilled to have been quoted in the likes of the Wall Street Journal, US News & World Report, Forbes, Fox, NPR, PBS and others… But now I know I have arrived — because O Magazine came calling! Sure enough —

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