LongCovid is an extraordinary challenge to the human body. It’s been met with an extraordinary response from the human spirit. As I wrote in a previous post, we are watching patients, caregivers, clinicians, researchers, and policymakers move through the stages of peer-to-peer health innovation at a fast clip. Faster than I’ve ever seen in my […]
peer-to-peer healthcare
Case study: Breast cancer
When we get sick or receive a new diagnosis, we often feel alone, but we shouldn’t. There are people who have been in the same situation and are eager to help if they only knew how to find us. That is the case with my friend Meagan. She was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She […]
Lessons learned about hospice care
A loved one recently went over the cancer waterfall and I dove in after him, keeping his head above water long enough to say goodbye to everyone. It was an intense four weeks of caregiving – two in the hospital and two at home, in hospice. I am sharing one segment of our story to […]
Pandemic problem-solving
The COVID19 pandemic is forcing everyone to learn new skills on the fly. Clinicians are teaching each other how to hotwire a ventilator to serve more than one patient. People are 3D printing spare parts for medical equipment and learning how to sew protective masks. Parents are sharing strategies for convincing their teenagers to stay home – and […]
Public Q&A: Peer support for parents of teens with cancer
Helen Burstin, MD, reached out to ask if I know of an online peer-to-peer support group for parents of teens with cancer. For anyone who knows Helen: Don’t worry, it’s not for her own family. She is asking on behalf of a friend, who writes: “I’ve been able to find groups for parents of children […]
What if your clinician gave you a prescription to check out a patient group that they knew to be good?
Amy Gleason (@ThePatientsSide) captured this line of mine, delivered on a panel at the Health Datapalooza yesterday. Her tweet generated an interesting cascade of reactions ranging from: “This is potentially dangerous” to “This is obvious (and old news).” I thought I’d expand on my observations and see if people want to expand on theirs in […]
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