Healthcare Clarity & Education

I think we've been sold a bill of goods regarding healthcare. For decades, the healthcare system has done a remarkably good job of manufacturing empathy from the people who rely on it. Think about how often you hear: “Doctors are overwhelmed.” “Nurses are exhausted.” “Hospitals are under tremendous strain.” “Primary care offices are seeing too many people.” Sound familiar? Cue the Sarah McLachlan sad-dog-eyes commercial.🥺 Healthcare has become extraordinarily good at telling

We're constantly told to advocate for ourselves in healthcare. Ask questions. Speak up. Get a second opinion. Call the doctor's office. Follow up. Don't take no for an answer. Be your own advocate. And I understand why we say these things. In fact, advocacy is one of the things I value most about nursing. Nurses advocate for the people in their care all the time. But sometimes I find myself wondering: Why do people have to fight so damn hard in the first place? When advocacy

I'm going to say something that may make some people in healthcare uncomfortable. I hate the word "non-compliant." I've hated it for a long time. I've heard it used to describe people who didn't take their medications the way they were instructed. People who didn't follow a treatment plan. People who didn't show up for appointments. People who continued doing something their healthcare professional had told them to stop doing. And somewhere along the way, we started treating

When you don't know what to do next, suddenly everyone has an opinion. Tell your friend what's going on. "Oh! My cousin had that. She did this and it completely changed everything." Okay, Karen. Your coworker hears about it. "You should really try this. My neighbor swears by it." Thanks, Brenda. Then you make the mistake of opening social media. Oh, boy. Welcome to the internet, where apparently everyone has a medical degree, a personal success story, a horror story, and

You've seen your primary care provider. You've seen the specialist. You've had the bloodwork, the imaging, and the procedure. You've picked up the prescription. Maybe you've started physical therapy. Maybe home health is coming. Maybe you're waiting for another appointment. Everyone seems to be doing their part. So why does it sometimes feel like you're the one holding the entire healthcare puzzle in your hands? This is one of the strangest things about navigating healthcare.

When most people think about healthcare, they think about doctors, nurses, hospitals, medications, or insurance. Few people think about the government agencies, lawmakers, and regulatory organizations working behind the scenes. Yet their decisions influence nearly every part of the healthcare system. From how hospitals are inspected, to how medications are approved, to how healthcare professionals are licensed, much of modern healthcare is built on standards and oversight tha