--- title: Together Patient Advocates Blog description: Topics ranging from how to advocate for yourself to the benefits of patient advocates. --- [![Together Patient Advocates](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo/Together%20Patient%20Advocates-100x100.jpg?width=100&height=100&name=Together%20Patient%20Advocates-100x100.jpg "Together Patient Advocates")](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/) [![Contact Me](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2241950/f0ceed56-8ce7-4edf-b542-140a386d232a.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2241950/f0ceed56-8ce7-4edf-b542-140a386d232a) # Together Patient Advocates Blog ## [Managing Holiday Stress](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/managing-holiday-stress) ## [What You Need to Know for Open Enrollment](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/what-you-need-to-know-for-open-enrollment) ## [Creating a Trans Affirming Medical Office](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/creating-a-trans-affirming-medical-office) ## [What You Should Know About Long COVID](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/what-you-should-know-about-long-covid) ## [Congenital Heart Defect Survivors Need Life-Long Care](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/congenital-heart-defect-survivors-need-life-long-care) ## [How to Write an Advance Care Directive & POLST](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/how-to-write-an-advance-care-directive-polst) ## [Health Magazine Interview on Patient Advocacy](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/health-magazine-interview) ## [Why You Should Have an Advance Directive](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/why-you-should-have-an-advance-directive) ## [Making Informed Health Care Decisions](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/making-informed-health-care-decisions) ## [Authorizations and Referrals](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/how-to-get-medical-appointments-authorizations-referrals) ## [Navigating a Dementia Diagnosis](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/navigating-a-dementia-diagnosis) ## [Are you Concerned about Dementia?](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/navigating-life-after-a-dementia-diagnosis) ## [You’ve Been Diagnosed with Cancer – Now What?](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/youve-been-diagnosed-with-cancer-now-what) ## [Protect your Health with Regular Preventive Care](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/protect-your-health-with-regular-preventive-care) ## [How Monitoring Chronic Conditions Can Improve Your Health](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/how-monitoring-chronic-conditions-can-improve-your-health) ## [How to Make Access to Clinical Notes Work for You](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/how-to-make-access-to-clinical-notes-work-for-you) ## [Virtual Advocacy for Surgeries](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/virtual-advocacy-for-surgeries) ## [How to Create Long-Distance Advocate Partnerships](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/how-to-create-long-distance-advocate-partnerships) ## [How to Choose an Advocate](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/how-to-choose-an-advocate) ## [What is a Patient Advocate?](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/what-is-a-patient-advocate) ## [What’s the Difference between a Physician and a Nurse Practitioner?](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/nurse-practitioner-and-a-doctor-whats-the-difference) ## [Open Enrollment is Just around the Corner](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/open-enrollment-is-just-around-the-corner) ## [Rising Rates of Colon Cancer Among Young Adults](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/colon-cancer-its-not-just-about-seniors-anymore) ## [The Upshot of Flu Shots](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/the-upshot-of-flu-shots) ## [5 Words to Help You Understand Insurance Claim Forms](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/5-words-to-help-you-understand-insurance-claim-forms) ## [Three Common Reasons for Surprise Medical Bills](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/three-common-reasons-for-surprise-medical-bills) ## [Home With COVID-19](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/what-to-know-about-covid-recoveries-at-home) ## [Long COVID-19 Recoveries Could Strain Rehab Facilities](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/covid-19-recoveries-strain-acute-care-resources) ## [COVID-19:  Sorting Fact from Fiction](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/covid-19-sorting-fact-from-fiction) ## [Insurance Plan Changes in the Time of COVID-19](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/insurance-plan-changes-in-the-time-of-covid) ## [Staying Safe As States Re-Open](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/staying-safe-as-states-re-open) ## [It's Time to See the Doctor](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/its-time-to-see-the-doctor) ## [COVID-19 Can Damage More Than Your Lungs](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/covid-19-can-damage-more-than-your-lungs) ## [Preparing for Hospitalization During the COVID Pandemic](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/my-guest-post-in-advoconnection-re-preparing-for-hospitalization-during-the-covid-pandemic) ## [Packing a Hospital "Go Bag"](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/packing-a-hospital-go-bag) ## [Long-Term Care in the Time of COVID-19](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/long-term-care-in-the-time-of-covid-19) ## [How You Can Help](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/how-you-can-help) ## [Life Behind the Masks](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/life-behind-the-masks) ## [PPE – HOW YOU CAN HELP](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/ppe-how-you-can-help) ## [CONSIDERATIONS: REGULAR, ON-GOING MEDICAL CARE DURING COVID19 PANDEMIC](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/dos-and-donts-for-regular-on-going-medical-care) ## [COVID-19 and Advocacy Best Practices](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/covid-19-and-advocacy-best-practices) ## [Using Technology to Help with Medical Emergencies](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/using-technology-to-help-with-medical-emergencies) ## [Crash Course in Nursing Homes: Summary of 11 Lessons Learned](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/crash-course-in-nursing-homes-summary-of-11-lessons-learned) ## [Crash Course in Nursing Homes Part 3: Final Lessons](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/crash-course-in-nursing-homes-part-3-final-lessons) ## [Crash Course in Nursing Homes Part 2: Fighting Illegal Nursing Home Practices.](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/crash-course-in-nursing-homes-part-2-fighting-illegal-nursing-home-practices) ## [Crash Course in Nursing Homes Part 1: When You Can't Pay](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/your-rights-as-a-medi-cal-patient-in-a-nursing-home) ## [Heart Failure Basics](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/heart-failure-basics) ## [Avoiding Medicare Fraud](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/avoiding-medicare-fraud) ## [What is hospice?](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/what-is-hospice) ## [What is Palliative Care?](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/what-is-palliative-care) ## [National Hospice Palliative Care Month](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/national-hospice-palliative-care-month) ## [Advocating for yourself at the ER](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/visiting-the-er) ## [Urinary Tract Infections in the Elderly](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/urinary-tract-infections-in-the-elderly) ## [Is No News Good News?](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/is-no-news-good-news) ## [Researching Quality Medical Information on the Web](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/researching-quality-medical-information-on-the-web) ## [What Do You Need to Know About Your Prescriptions?](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/what-do-you-need-to-know-about-your-prescriptions) ## [Sacramento Area Resources for Multiple Sclerosis](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/sacramento-area-resources-for-multiple-sclerosis) ## [New Major Medical Diagnosis? Now what?](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/new-major-medical-diagnosis-now-what) ## [Ten Ways to Advocate for Yourself at the Doctor's Office](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/nine-ways-to-advocate-for-yourself-at-the-doctors-office) [All posts](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/all) ### Subscribe to Email Updates - Recent - Popular - Categories ### Lists by Topic - [Coronavirus (15)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/topic/coronavirus) - [self-advocacy (15)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/topic/self-advocacy) - [COVID-19 (14)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/topic/covid-19) - [Insurance (7)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/topic/insurance) - [Medicare (6)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/topic/medicare) - [New Diagnosis (5)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/topic/new-diagnosis) - [elderly illness (5)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/topic/elderly-illness) - 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[UTI (1)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/topic/uti) - [Urinary tract infection in elderly (1)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/topic/urinary-tract-infection-in-elderly) - [colon cancer (1)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/topic/colon-cancer) - [flu (1)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/topic/flu) - [influenza (1)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/topic/influenza) - [mental health (1)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/topic/mental-health) - [prescriptions (1)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/topic/prescriptions) - [stress (1)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/topic/stress) - [vaccination (1)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/topic/vaccination) - [young adults (1)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/topic/young-adults) [see all](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/all#) ### Recent Posts #### About Me My clinical experience as a family physician combined with my personal experience as a patient with chronic illness makes me an exceptional choice to be your patient advocate.  [Learn More [fa icon="long-arrow-right"]](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/about-us) [[fa icon="facebook-square"]Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/Together-Patient-Advocates-1203451539747384/) [[fa icon="linkedin-square"]LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-mcilnay-6abb87132) [![NAHAC-Member-Badge200x112+(1)](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/hs-fs/hubfs/NAHAC-Member-Badge200x112+(1).gif?width=200&name=NAHAC-Member-Badge200x112+(1).gif)](https://www.nahac.com/#!event-list)[![bahca_logo](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/hs-fs/hubfs/bahca_logo.png?width=142&name=bahca_logo.png)](https://bayareahealthcareadvocates.org/) [![GNA_2020_Member_Badge](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/hs-fs/hubfs/GNA_2020_Member_Badge.png?width=266&name=GNA_2020_Member_Badge.png)](https://www.gnanow.org/)     [![PACB-wide-logo-300dpi](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/hs-fs/hubfs/PACB-wide-logo-300dpi.png?width=5026&name=PACB-wide-logo-300dpi.png "PACB-wide-logo-300dpi")](https://pacboard.org/bcpa-what-does-bcpa-mean/) Copyright 2026 | Designed with [fa icon="heart"] by [HubSpot](https://www.hubspot.com) [[fa icon="chevron-up"]Back to top](https://www.togetherpatientadvocates.com/blog/all#)