Tom Brokaw, Humphrey, and a Road Map for Integrative Care

Most people, I have found, don’t know that they can access someone to help them through the complex and convoluted medical system, and even more concerning, don’t realize how much they need someone to do just that.
I want to share with you two articles that really spoke to me about the necessity of having an advocate when going through a difficult medical problem.  This first one mentions someone who we all recognize, Tom Brokaw, and what he felt he needed when he was treated for multiple myeloma.
A CANCER PATIENT LEARNS THE BENEFIT -- AND NECESSITY -- OF HAVING A PATIENT ADVOCATE
Not only is Tom Brokaw’s daughter an emergency medicine physician, she has worked as a healthcare advocate as well. And with all that he is able to access, he still felt uncomfortable with the “lack of shared dialogue” in his treatment—what I would call lack of coordination of care or project management. This truly does give me pause. If he found this difficult, it is abundantly clear that we would certainly find it so.
The second article is about the ideal coordination of care—sort of a best-case scenario for how to navigate through a health crisis.
WHEN CONCIERGE CARE IS RESERVED FOR PETS
The journey of the author of this article and her cat, Humphrey, through the veterinary healthcare system made me envious of this marvelously integrated care. And it also provides a road map for what we could have if we had the will to make it happen.
I would love to hear back from all of you with your thoughts and questions about these articles, or topics you would like to hear about.