Mary’s approach is C.A.R.E.S. only for you.
Communication - An essential element of a good healthcare experience. There are two levels to this conversation: improving the communication between medical providers and their patients as well as the discussions between medical providers. Preparing a client to ask the right questions is key to making each 10-15 minutes with their medical provider count!
Advocate/advocacy - It is important that the patient’s right to choose is being honored. Education is needed to make a more informed choice, but in the end it’s still the patient’s right to choose once the options have been presented.
Research - A big part of the job is researching all the treatment/care options available. Taking into account integrative and functional approaches and researching those costs so it can be compared at all levels to those more traditional approaches that will be covered by insurance.
Education - The truth is, the more you and your family members know, the more empowered you will be to advocate for yourself and ultimately see improved outcomes in your health care. Medical errors are huge in today’s health care environment, but if you know what to look for, know what’s in your medical records, know the side effects of medications, know how to ask the right questions, and understand the symptoms of your illness/disease process, you’ll be much better off.
Safety - Medical errors are the fifth-leading cause of deaths in the US, with up to 98,000 deaths annually.” (Millennium Research Group (2007) Don’t be a statistic, speak up.
