Advocacy Workshop a Success!

Our second health advocacy workshop, held on May 19th in Oakland, California, was a great success! Forty attendees of various backgrounds, including nurses, social workers and others, gathered to learn about “The Emerging Field of Private Health Advocacy”. The goal of the conference was to give an overview of this important and exciting new field.

The day focused on what health advocates do, why they’re necessary, and how to get into the business of health advocacy. All of the participants had a personal story about dealing with the complexities of the health care system, and were interested in learning how to alleviate those frustrations for others.

We were honored to have Trisha Torrey join us from New York, to tell us of her personal challenges navigating the health care system. Trisha founded AdvoConnection.com, an important website that connecting people with health advocates, around the country. Trisha told the story of how she became a health advocate herself (look for that story in our next post), In addition to speaking about health advocacy, Trisha is an active blogger for about.com and is the author of You Bet Your Life! 10 Mistakes Every Patient Makes.

The workshop offered some basic information about how to get into the business of Private Health Advocacy. The first question to consider was if it is better to work for oneself or an established company.

Each attendee was asked to take a personal inventory, and question whether they were willing to take a risk by stepping out on their own. Some of the questions that posed to attendees were 'are you a critical thinker?' and 'Are you able to find the answer to any problem?' The work of a Private Health Advocate is not always predictable, as each client presents a new and unique challenge.

The industry of Private Health Advocacy is still in its infancy, and beginning a business during this time is very exciting. But with that leap of faith comes a lot of planning and decision making. First and foremost you’ve got to believe in yourself and recognize that you have the skills to assist others in the navigating the complexities of the system. It might sound cliché, but it’s true!

I was very pleased with how the day unfolded, and with everyone’s reaction. Thanks to all that attended and for your positive and constructive feedback. I’m excited about the future Private Health Advocacy and believe that in a few years, everyone will want to have a Health Advocate! And I’m confident that Heartwood Health will make a difference in the lives of the clients we serve as well as contribute to the future growth of the industry. Our next workshop will be October 6th in Oakland, check our website for more details.