In 2007, pediatric gastroenterologists began tracking and sharing best practices as they cared for kids with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Their “all teach, all learn” philosophy invited patients and families to participate as key members of the care innovation teams. The results have been astonishing: 82% of patients in the ImproveCareNow network of 100+ […]
Wow! How? Health
Wow! How? For Love & Life
This essay is part of my LinkedIn newsletter series: Wow! How? Health. Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya brought their second daughter home on the same day that he received a devastating diagnosis: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Brian was told he had six months to live. Seven years later, Brian is still alive. He and Sandra […]
Wow! How? Mystery vs. Moms
When her daughter, Sara, transformed from an active teen to a nearly catatonic shell of a person, Eileen Quinn knew she had to take action. Unfortunately, since Sara lives with Down syndrome her symptoms were likely to be dismissed as sad but inevitable. But Quinn had a hunch that her daughter’s rapid decline was not […]
Wow! How? Peer Warmline
This essay is part of my LinkedIn newsletter series: Wow! How? Health. About two million people in North Carolina experience a mental health or substance use disorder crisis each year. Historically, about half did not receive treatment because of cost, leading to repercussions for families, communities, and individuals. A new Peer Warmline, staffed by counselors […]
Wow! How? Hope for Henry
Imagine being a little kid and facing not only serious illness, but all the uncomfortable, scary treatments associated with hospitalization: blood draws, IV placements, and scans. Then you find out that you can earn prizes for every medical procedure you go through, thanks to an incentive program called Super Rewards for Super Kids. Kids love […]
Wow! How? PEARS
Tal Golesworthy lives with Marfan syndrome, which is characterized by long bones, flexible joints, eye problems, and, most threateningly, weakness at the root of the aorta. Over time, this major blood vessel becomes enlarged and, if left untreated, ruptures. Clinicians told Golesworthy he had few options, none of them attractive: wait and potentially experience a […]
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