Anticipatory Advocacy: hiring an advocate in case you need a patient advocate
I found Dr. Brita Lundberg after reading a compelling book about patient advocacy by Leslie Michelson called The Patient’s Playbook. Not wanting to wait for a medical crisis before finding an advocate, I looked for an advocate in the Boston area and established a working relationship with Dr. Lundberg. We met and discussed my health history, and I provided recent medical records. Dr. Lundberg reviewed the records, and we discussed her observations.Several months later I wanted to see a specialist for a particular matter about which I thought my primary care physician was being unduly dismissive.Dr. Lundberg recommended a specialist whom she knew from working with another client. When I had trouble making an appointment because of bureaucracy at the hospital where the specialist practiced, Dr. Lundberg took up the matter and scheduled an appointment for me. The specialist turned out to be fantastic.
I greatly appreciate my fruitful relationship with Dr. Lundberg to date. I hope it remains limited for a long time, but if a serious problem or emergency should arise, I know that I am in good hands with my patient advocate.
–Robert F., Boston, MA
