PATIENT AND FAMILY ADVOCACY, LLC
BOCA RATON, FLORIDA

As a surgical Physician Assistant, I have been involved in the hospital inpatient CV service line for over 19 years. In recent years, I have noticed an unfortunate shift of focus away from the patient. Medical providers have become increasingly burdened by excessive, often redundant, medical documentation, coding, CMS guidelines and the proliferation of Accountable Care Organizations. As hospital corporations and insurance companies continue to try to maximize profit by cutting costs, providers are struggling to care for increasing patient numbers, many of whom are dealing with multiple comorbid conditions. The patient has been lost in the shuffle and communication between the patient and medical team has become subpar. Too often, patients and their families become frustrated by the lack of communication regarding the care plan. I hope to dispel any frustration or fear by explaining the care plan and helping patients understand what to expect during treatment. My mission is to be the advocate for the patient and their family. Prior to any elective admission or planned surgery, I will meet each patient to perform a thorough history/physical and answer any questions regarding their condition and care plan. This extensive history and physical will be presented to the medical team. For unplanned admissions, I will be available at the hospital to facilitate communications with the medical team, and provide updates from the attending/care team, check medications, and all lab / imaging results. My Mission To be an advocate for the hospital inpatient and their family by providing advice and counsel during the hospitalization and to be available to interpret the medical information and help facilitate an appropriate plan of care.