Case Review – September 2024
Navigating Complex Chronic Illness: A Case Study of Patient Advocacy
This Case Review chronicles the journey of a client who struggled with complex chronic illnesses, including adrenal insufficiency, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), and severe gastrointestinal issues. Despite their knowledge and advocacy, the client faced numerous challenges, including frequent emergency room visits, difficulty with medical staff, and inadequate pain management. This case highlights the efforts to secure appropriate medical care, the complications arising from their conditions, and the eventual tragic outcome due to septic shock and adrenal crisis. It serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities in managing rare and chronic illnesses and the importance of patient-centered care.
Learning Objectives:
1) Making sure in all cases, especially complicated ones, that all of the providers are aware of all of the medical issues at hand.
2) Clients with chronic illnesses need psychiatric treatment too.
3) The need to empower our clients to advocate for themselves in addition to us and their families.
CE will be in Mental Health, General Education and Ethics.
Please reach out to us at info@HealthAdvocateX.org if you have any questions.
About The Speaker –
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Melina Oien has been in health advocacy for over 20 years. Melina is a Board Certified Patient Advocate, and holds a Master’s degree in Health Advocacy. She has been interviewed for articles published by Kaiser Health News and Associated Press, and currently works with two nonprofit health advocacy organizations in addition to working directly with patients through her advocacy business. She has volunteered time teaching patients and families how to find and access supports outside of health care to augment care needs, or to fill in the gap where health care stops but medical needs do not. Melina’s background includes advocacy in diagnosis and management of rare diseases, chronic diseases, pediatric and young adult care, and has worked extensively with patients and family members of those with developmental disabilities. Having experienced personally and witnessed many others experience how detrimental barriers in care are to patients’ wellbeing and outcomes, her passion and belief in the need for health advocacy has continued to grow as her experiences have taken her across a spectrum of care as caregiver, patient, and professional advocate.