Healthcare Navigation & Advocacy
Navigating the health care system can be overwhelming. Between specialists, radiologists, oncologists, neurologists, all the ists, it’s hard to keep track of who and where, when and why, and how the heck you’re going to keep all of this straight. Health Care Navigation and Advocacy is helping you navigate through all of the systems and making plans for your care and your wishes, then advocating for them with your health team. I have my Peer Health Navigator certificate from York University and over a decade of boots on the ground experience navigating through all parts of the system.
Services that I can provide include:
Care plans - a document that lays out your wishes for your care so that your family, medical team, and support circle are all clear on your wishes for treatment and on the same page.
Navigation - A lot of times people are overwhelmed when having appointments with medical professionals and a short amount of time with them. Without planning in advance, you may miss opportunities for information or clarifying treatment options. I have a certificate in Peer Health Navigation from York University and over a decade of experience in navigating in oncology and neurology. I can help prepare you for appointments and accompany you if wanted to act as a liaison to help with clarity and understanding.
Advocacy - Having plans is only a start when navigating the health care system. Advocacy is key to having those plans honoured. I can facilitate discussions with your support circle on the plans made and how they can best support them and advocate for you if you are not able or willing to advocate for yourself.
Coordination - With chronic and terminal conditions, the frequency of appointments and details to keep track of quickly becomes overwhelming. I can establish a shared system so that the support circle knows the when and where, the why and the how, and most importantly the who is with who at which appointment.
Resource Locating - Until you need something, you may not know where you can find it and who/what agency you can get it from. I can use my knowledge of resources to what you need, or research solutions so that your time is freed up to be together.
These services are starting points in what can be done. You are in control of what you want and my job is to help that happen. If you have other planning you’d like done, we’ll discover that during our discussions, or you can bring it to me at any point and we will get it done.
You are in charge of your experience.