Ask The Patient Advocate

Have you ever delayed seeing a doctor because getting to an appointment felt like too much?Have you ever wished you could ask your provider a quick question without taking time off work or sitting in a waiting room?Or wondered if telehealth could actually make healthcare easier — not harder?In this episode of Ask the Patient Advocate Podcast, Dr. Elena Borrelli and Christine explore a powerful tool that has quietly reshaped how patients access care: telehealth.Dr. Borrelli, whose research and clinical work have long focused on telemedicine and telehealth, explains why she often calls telehealth “your friend” in healthcare.Together, they break down:• The difference between telehealth and telemedicine• How telehealth reduces common barriers like transportation, time off work, and long wait times• Why quick virtual check-ins can prevent small health issues from becoming major problems• How telehealth improves access for patients with mobility challenges, chronic illness, or caregiving responsibilities• Why patients often feel more comfortable advocating for themselves from home• How private patient advocates can join virtual appointments and support patients in real timeIf you have questions or topics you'd like us to explore, don't hesitate to reach out to us at advocate@pathwaypa.com. Remember, with the right advocate by your side, managing your health becomes a journey of empowerment and clarity.For personalized assistance and support, reach out to us and discover how we can help you navigate your path to better health. Call us at (947) 517-8395Take control of your healthcare journey with confidence.✨ Enroll today in our Patient Advocacy Course and learn how to speak up, stay organized, and make informed decisions about your care or your loved one’s.👉 Visit https://pathwaypa.com/pathwaycourses/ to get started.Connect with Dr. Elena Borrelli:Instagram: @pathwaypadvocatesFacebook: Pathway Patient AdvocatesYoutube: Pathway Patient AdvocatesTiktok: Pathway Patient AdvocatesLinkedIn: Pathway Patient Advocatespathwaypa.com

What would you do if a sudden medical emergency changed your life overnight?If you survived… but walked out of the hospital feeling completely alone?Where do you turn when your diagnosis is rare — and no one around you understands it?In this episode of Ask the Patient Advocate Podcast, Dr. Elena Borrelli sits down with Ben Munoz — stroke survivor, entrepreneur, angel investor, and founder of Ben’s Friends, one of the largest online networks of patient support communities for rare diseases.Ben’s journey began in 2006 with a sudden, life-threatening AVM-related brain hemorrhage at just 29 years old. What started as nausea and a headache turned into emergency brain surgery within minutes. He survived — but like so many patients with rare conditions — he left the hospital with more questions than answers.No roadmap.No community.No clear “what’s next.”So he built one.Drawing on his background in software and entrepreneurship, Ben created an online community for AVM survivors. What began with a handful of members quickly grew into thousands. Today, Ben’s Friends supports dozens of rare disease communities and has helped countless patients feel seen, informed, and less alone.In this episode, we explore:• What it feels like to survive a rare medical crisis• The emotional isolation that often follows hospital discharge• Why peer support can be just as powerful as medical treatment• The evolving role of AI and democratized medical information• How patients can responsibly fact-check and advocate for themselves• Why asking questions in healthcare is no longer optional — it’s essentialIf you have questions or topics you'd like us to explore, don't hesitate to reach out to us at advocate@pathwaypa.com. Remember, with the right advocate by your side, managing your health becomes a journey of empowerment and clarity.For personalized assistance and support, reach out to us and discover how we can help you navigate your path to better health. Call us at (947) 517-8395.Connect with Ben Munoz:https://www.bensfriends.org/https://www.instagram.com/bensfriendsorg/https://www.facebook.com/bensfriendsorghttps://www.youtube.com/@BensfriendsOrgConnect with Dr. Elena Borrelli:Instagram: @pathwaypadvocatesFacebook: Pathway Patient AdvocatesYoutube: Pathway Patient AdvocatesTiktok: Pathway Patient AdvocatesLinkedIn: Pathway Patient Advocatespathwaypa.com

Have you ever felt overwhelmed trying to coordinate appointments with multiple specialists?Have you ever left a medical visit with more questions than answers?Or wondered who can help you navigate the increasingly complex world of healthcare?In today’s healthcare landscape, patients are facing more information, more specialists, and more complicated treatment decisions than ever before. While medical advancements have improved care in many ways, they’ve also made the system harder to navigate — leaving many patients and families feeling confused, stressed, and unsupported.In this episode of Ask the Patient Advocate Podcast, Dr. Elena Borrelli and Christine explore the evolving role of private patient advocacy and why it’s becoming an essential part of modern healthcare.In this conversation, you’ll learn:• The key difference between general patient advocates and private patient advocates• Why healthcare complexity is increasing — and what that means for patients• How private advocates provide personalized, one-on-one support throughout the healthcare journey• The many ways advocates help coordinate care, prepare for appointments, and organize medical records• How advocacy has evolved beyond hospital stays to include proactive, ongoing support• Why experience and insight are critical when navigating complex diagnoses, treatments, and second opinionsIf you have questions or topics you'd like us to explore, don't hesitate to reach out to us at advocate@pathwaypa.com. Remember, with the right advocate by your side, managing your health becomes a journey of empowerment and clarity.For personalized assistance and support, reach out to us and discover how we can help you navigate your path to better health. Call us at (947) 517-8395Take control of your healthcare journey with confidence.✨ Enroll today in our Patient Advocacy Course and learn how to speak up, stay organized, and make informed decisions about your care or your loved one’s.👉 Visit https://pathwaypa.com/pathwaycourses/ to get started.Connect with Dr. Elena Borrelli:Instagram: @pathwaypadvocatesFacebook: Pathway Patient AdvocatesYoutube: Pathway Patient AdvocatesTiktok: Pathway Patient AdvocatesLinkedIn: Pathway Patient Advocatespathwaypa.com

Have you ever taken a medication that made you feel worse instead of better?Have you been told your symptoms were anxiety… when your body was clearly in crisis?Have you felt changed — even traumatized — by the very system meant to help you heal?In this episode of Ask the Patient Advocate Podcast, Dr. Elena Borrelli sits down with licensed therapist and coach Chris Page, LCSW, to unpack a topic that is rarely discussed openly: medical and iatrogenic trauma.With over 35 years of experience — and powerful lived experience as a survivor of pharmaceutical injury — Chris speaks not just as a clinician, but as what he calls a “wounded healer.”Together, they explore what happens when treatment causes harm… and why so many patients are misdiagnosed, dismissed, or caught in a dangerous cycle of worsening symptoms.In this episode, you’ll learn:• What iatrogenic injury really means — and why it’s often overlooked• How medication side effects can mimic psychiatric illness and lead to misdiagnosis• What akathisia is — and why it can be life-threatening yet misunderstood• Why medical trauma can erode trust and social support• How early life trauma and nervous system dysregulation show up as chronic physical illness• The difference between “top-down” talk therapy and “bottom-up” somatic healing• Why hope and neuroplasticity are central to recoveryChris shares his harrowing experience of surviving chronic akathisia for over three years — pacing 12–14 hours a day, battling intense suicidal ideation, and navigating a medical system that didn’t recognize his crisis.But this episode is not just about suffering.It’s about survival.It’s about nervous system healing.It’s about understanding that symptoms often make sense — even when they’re misunderstood.And most importantly, it’s about hope.If you have questions or topics you'd like us to explore, don't hesitate to reach out to us at advocate@pathwaypa.com. Remember, with the right advocate by your side, managing your health becomes a journey of empowerment and clarity.For personalized assistance and support, reach out to us and discover how we can help you navigate your path to better health. Call us at (947) 517-8395.Connect with Chris Paige:https://www.chrispaigelcsw.com/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063867851444#https://www.instagram.com/frehley13Connect with Dr. Elena Borrelli:Instagram: @pathwaypadvocatesFacebook: Pathway Patient AdvocatesYoutube: Pathway Patient AdvocatesTiktok: Pathway Patient AdvocatesLinkedIn: Pathway Patient Advocatespathwaypa.com

Have you ever left a doctor’s appointment thinking of the questions you wish you had asked?Have you ever felt unsure about speaking up in a medical setting?Or wondered how much your voice actually matters in your own healthcare decisions?In this episode of Ask the Patient Advocate Podcast, Dr. Elena Borrelli and Christine dive into one of the most powerful yet often overlooked tools in healthcare: self-advocacy.For many patients, navigating the healthcare system can feel overwhelming. Appointments are short. Medical language can be confusing. And when you’re already dealing with illness, stress, or uncertainty, finding the confidence to ask questions or challenge unclear information can feel incredibly difficult.But self-advocacy isn’t about being confrontational or questioning every medical decision. It’s about partnership.Together, they explore:• What self-advocacy really means in a healthcare setting• Why does it play such a critical role in patient outcomes• The common barriers that prevent patients from speaking up• How asking the right questions can prevent misunderstandings and medical errors• Why feeling intimidated or overwhelmed in appointments is completely normal• Practical ways to prepare for appointments and communicate more confidentlyIf you have questions or topics you'd like us to explore, don't hesitate to reach out to us at advocate@pathwaypa.com. Remember, with the right advocate by your side, managing your health becomes a journey of empowerment and clarity.For personalized assistance and support, reach out to us and discover how we can help you navigate your path to better health. Call us at (947) 517-8395Take control of your healthcare journey with confidence.✨ Enroll today in our Patient Advocacy Course and learn how to speak up, stay organized, and make informed decisions about your care or your loved one’s.👉 Visit https://pathwaypa.com/pathwaycourses/ to get started.Connect with Dr. Elena Borrelli:Instagram: @pathwaypadvocatesFacebook: Pathway Patient AdvocatesYoutube: Pathway Patient AdvocatesTiktok: Pathway Patient AdvocatesLinkedIn: Pathway Patient Advocatespathwaypa.com

Have you ever been told your symptoms were “normal”… when they didn’t feel normal at all?Have you ever left a doctor’s appointment feeling dismissed, unheard, or defeated?What if your pain wasn’t in your head — but simply misunderstood?March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. This episode is dedicated to all women battling endometriosis. In this powerful episode of Ask the Patient Advocate Podcast, Dr. Elena Borrelli sits down with Gigi Robinson — endometriosis warrior, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) advocate, author, speaker, and digital creator — to talk about chronic illness, self-advocacy, and turning lived experience into impact.Gigi’s journey began in adolescence after repeated injuries led to a diagnosis of hypermobile EDS. But that was only the beginning. After more than a decade of searching for answers, countless tests, and years of debilitating symptoms, she was finally diagnosed with endometriosis in 2022 — a diagnosis that changed her life.In this conversation, Gigi shares:• What it’s like to grow up with an invisible illness• The frustration of normal test results when you know something is wrong• How a simple blood test revealed a missed diagnosis that years of procedures did not• Why symptom tracking and specificity are critical in the diagnostic process• The mindset shift that helped her move from surviving to advocating• The challenges of navigating chronic illness in the workplace — and how to request meaningful accommodations• Why she wrote A Kids Book About Chronic Illness and why resilience starts earlyIf you have questions or topics you'd like us to explore, don't hesitate to reach out to us at advocate@pathwaypa.com. Remember, with the right advocate by your side, managing your health becomes a journey of empowerment and clarity.For personalized assistance and support, reach out to us and discover how we can help you navigate your path to better health. Call us at (947) 517-8395Connect with Gigi Robinson:https://www.gigirobinson.com/https://www.facebook.com/itsgigirobinsonhttps://www.instagram.com/itsgigirobinson/https://www.tiktok.com/@itsgigirobinsonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/gigirobinsonhttps://www.threads.com/@itsgigirobinsonhttps://www.youtube.com/c/GigiRobinson/featuredConnect with Dr. Elena Borrelli:Instagram: @pathwaypadvocatesFacebook: Pathway Patient AdvocatesYoutube: Pathway Patient AdvocatesTiktok: Pathway Patient AdvocatesLinkedIn: Pathway Patient Advocatespathwaypa.com

What if the answers you need aren’t available locally?What if genetic testing could open doors to treatments you didn’t know existed?What if one second opinion could change everything?In this episode of Ask the Patient Advocate, Dr. Elena Borrelli shares the story that forever changed her life — walking beside her brother during his seven-year journey with cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer).In honor of Cholangiocarcinoma Awareness Month, Dr. Borrelli and Christine discuss what patients and families need to know about this rare and often overwhelming diagnosis. From the challenges of late detection to the powerful advancements in precision medicine, this conversation brings clarity to a complex disease.You’ll learn:What cholangiocarcinoma is and why it’s often diagnosed lateHow molecular and genetic testing (FGFR2, IDH1, BRAF, HER2 and more) are transforming treatment optionsWhy early testing can dramatically expand access to targeted therapies and immunotherapyThe critical role of second opinions and specialty centersHow clinical trials may provide access to cutting-edge treatmentsWhy private patient advocacy can be life-changing in rare cancer careIf you have questions or topics you'd like us to explore, don't hesitate to reach out to us at advocate@pathwaypa.com. Remember, with the right advocate by your side, managing your health becomes a journey of empowerment and clarity.For personalized assistance and support, reach out to us and discover how we can help you navigate your path to better health. Call us at (947) 517-8395Take control of your healthcare journey with confidence.✨ Enroll today in our Patient Advocacy Course and learn how to speak up, stay organized, and make informed decisions about your care or your loved one’s.👉 Visit https://pathwaypa.com/pathwaycourses/ to get started.Connect with Dr. Elena Borrelli:Instagram: @pathwaypadvocatesFacebook: Pathway Patient AdvocatesYoutube: Pathway Patient AdvocatesTiktok: Pathway Patient AdvocatesLinkedIn: Pathway Patient Advocatespathwaypa.com

Have you ever felt invisible in your illness?Ever been told your symptoms were anxiety… exaggeration… or “just stress”?Have you wondered why some stories of illness are believed, while others are dismissed?In this powerful episode of Ask the Patient Advocate Podcast, Dr. Elena Borrelli sits down with award-winning author, professor, and patient advocate Laurie Edwards — a leading voice in chronic illness storytelling and public health.Long before chronic illness was widely discussed on social media, Laurie was writing about it. Through her groundbreaking books Life Disrupted and In the Kingdom of the Sick, and her essays in outlets like The New York Times, NPR, and The Boston Globe, she has helped shape the national conversation around what it really means to live with chronic disease.But Laurie doesn’t just write about chronic illness. She lives it.In this conversation, we explore:Why storytelling is one of the most powerful tools in patient advocacyHow chronic illness activism has shaped medical breakthroughs and civil rightsThe impact of Long COVID on public awareness of chronic conditionsWhy women’s pain is still more likely to be dismissed — and the dangerous consequences of that biasThe unique challenges young adults with chronic illness face in education, relationships, and careersHow “writing to heal” can help patients process trauma, reclaim their narrative, and advocate more effectivelyIf you have questions or topics you'd like us to explore, don't hesitate to reach out to us at advocate@pathwaypa.com. Remember, with the right advocate by your side, managing your health becomes a journey of empowerment and clarity.For personalized assistance and support, reach out to us and discover how we can help you navigate your path to better health. Call us at (947) 517-8395Connect with Laure Edwards:https://www.laurieedwardswriter.com/https://www.facebook.com/laurieedwardswriterwww.linkedin.com/pub/laurie-edwards/1/9a5/849Connect with Dr. Elena Borrelli:Instagram: @pathwaypadvocatesFacebook: Pathway Patient AdvocatesYoutube: Pathway Patient AdvocatesTiktok: Pathway Patient AdvocatesLinkedIn: Pathway Patient Advocatespathwaypa.com

How many times have you found yourself waiting in healthcare?Waiting weeks for an appointment…Waiting hours in an exam room…Waiting days for results that could change your life?And have you ever wondered — why has this become so normal?In this thought-provoking episode of the Ask the Patient Advocate Podcast, Dr. Elena Borrelli and Christine unpack one of the most universal and emotionally charged experiences in healthcare: waiting.But this conversation goes deeper than scheduling delays.Because in healthcare, we’re not just waiting on time.We’re waiting on answers.On reassurance.On relief.On news that could reshape our future.Dr. Borrelli explores why waiting feels so different in medical settings, especially for patients navigating anxiety, trauma histories, chronic illness, or urgent symptoms. While system strain, staffing shortages, administrative burdens, and emergencies explain many delays, they don’t erase the emotional impact of silence and uncertainty.In this episode, you’ll discover:• Why waiting without communication can feel dismissive — even unsafe• The hidden system pressures contributing to delays• When waiting becomes more than frustration and turns into a patient safety issue• How silence erodes trust in the patient-provider relationship• What patients are really asking for (hint: it’s not perfection)• Small but meaningful changes that can restore dignity and transparency• How private patient advocacy transforms passive waiting into informed, supported careBecause most patients don’t expect healthcare to be perfect.They want transparency.Respect.Communication.And acknowledgment that their time and symptoms matter.If you’ve ever sat alone in an exam room wondering whether you were forgotten… this episode is for you.And if navigating delays feels overwhelming, Pathway Patient Advocates is here to bridge the gaps, ensure your concerns are clearly communicated, and help keep your care moving forward.You don’t have to wait in silence.You don’t have to navigate it alone.Listen to the next episode of "Ask the Patient Advocate" as we continue to empower you with insights and strategies for navigating your healthcare journey with confidence.If you have questions or topics you'd like us to explore, don't hesitate to reach out to us at advocate@pathwaypa.com. Remember, with the right advocate by your side, managing your health becomes a journey of empowerment and clarity.For personalized assistance and support, reach out to us and discover how we can help you navigate your path to better health. Call us at (947) 517-8395Take control of your healthcare journey with confidence.✨ Enroll today in our Patient Advocacy Course and learn how to speak up, stay organized, and make informed decisions about your care or your loved one’s.👉 Visit https://pathwaypa.com/pathwaycourses/ to get started.Connect with Dr. Elena Borrelli:Instagram: @pathwaypadvocatesFacebook: Pathway Patient AdvocatesYoutube: Pathway Patient AdvocatesTiktok: Pathway Patient AdvocatesLinkedIn: Pathway Patient Advocatespathwaypa.com